Ultrasonographic gastric volume before unplanned surgery

Abstract

We aimed to measure gastric antral cross-sectional area with ultrasound and estimate the gastric volume of 300 patients before unplanned surgery, fasted for at least six hours. Measurements were successfully recorded in 263 semi-recumbent patients. The median (IQR [range]) area was 333 (241–472 [28–1803]) mm 2 and the mean (SD) estimated volume was 45.8 (34.0) ml. The area exceeded 410 mm 2 in 92/263 (35%) measurements. Body mass index and morphine administration were associated with larger gastric areas on multivariable linear regression analysis, with beta coefficient (95%CI) 0.02 (0.01–0.04), p = 0.01, 0.23 (0.01–0.46), p = 0.04, respectively. Fasting time was not associated with gastric area and therefore could not substitute for ultrasound measurements in this cohort.