Gastric ultrasonography in evaluating NPO status of pediatric patients in the emergency department

Pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents is uncommon but still considered a potential risk in patients who may require emergent intubation or procedural sedation [1, 2]. This normally occurs during induction, which tends to be technically variable for pediatric patients. The incidence of pulmonary aspiration is about four to ten times higher in pediatric populations than adults [3, 4]. Typically, preprocedural fasting time is recommended and used to determine the risk of aspiration. The American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) 2011 Practice Guidelines recommends at least a 2-hour wait for clear fluids and 6  h for solid foods prior to general anesthesia [5].
Source: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Source Type: research