A pilot study of ultrasound evaluation of gastric emptying in patients with end-stage renal failure: a comparison with healthy controls

Ultrasound evaluation of gastric residual volume in fasting end-stage renal failure patients

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the gastric contents and gastric residual volume in patient with end-stage renal failure by gastric ultrasound.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

SETTING

Tertiary care teaching hospital.

PATIENTS

Adults of either gender with BMI < 40 kg/m2 with end-stage renal failure scheduled to undergo arteriovenous graft or fistula.

INTERVENTIONS & MEASUREMENTS

The cross-sectional area of the gastric antrum was measured by gastric ultrasound with patient in both supine and right lateral decubitus positions. The volume of the gastric contents were calculated using suitable validated formula. In addition, the nature of the gastric contents was also determined by gastric ultrasound.

MAIN RESULTS

The incidence of delayed gastric emptying was found to be 57.7% in the population studied despite following the prescribed preoperative standard fasting guidelines.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a high incidence of delayed gastric emptying in patients with end-stage renal failure presenting for surgery which may predispose them to risk of pulmonary aspiration perioperatively.

Ultrasonographic Assessment of Gastric Volume in Fasted Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Under Sedation

Purpose

In this prospective observational study, an ultrasonographic measurement of antral cross-sectional area (ACSA) was conducted to evaluate the gastric content and volume as well as to identify high-risk stomach in non-pregnant adult surgical patients adhering to preanesthetic fasting guidelines.

Patients and Methods

Fasted patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy under sedation were included. Ultrasonographic measurements of ACSA were conducted in both semi-recumbent and right lateral decubitus positions before endoscopic procedures. Gastroscopy was employed to guide the measurement of suctioned gastric volume (GV). Ultrasonography was performed to assess gastric contents and identify patients with high-risk stomach. The relationship between ACSA and suctioned GV was also evaluated.

Results

ACSA was evaluated in 736 out of 782 patients. A significant positive correlation was discovered between ACSA in the right lateral decubitus position and suctioned GV, which was more reliable than in the semi-recumbent position. To analyze high-risk stomach with a GV > 100 mL, the cutoff value of ACSA in the right lateral decubitus was found to be 7.5 cm2, with the AUC, sensitivity and specificity of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.76-0.82; P<0.001), 82.4% and 67.3%, respectively. A novel mathematical model based on ACSA to estimate GV in non-pregnant fasted adults was presented.

Conclusion

Ultrasonographic measurement of ACSA can assist anesthesiologists in estimating the risk of pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents during general anesthesia and sedation.

Ultrasound assessment of gastric residual volume in patients over 60 years of age undergoing gastroscopy under sedation: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to assess the accuracy of ultrasonographic measurement of the antral cross-sectional area (CSA) in the preprocedural evaluation of gastric contents and volume in fasted patients > 60 yr of age scheduled for gastroscopy under sedation.

METHODS

We included n = 81 patients > 60 yr of age and n = 79 younger controls scheduled to undergo elective gastroscopy in a prospective cohort study. A gastric ultrasound examination was performed to measure the antral CSA in both semisitting and right lateral decubitus (RLD) positions. Afterward, patients were graded using the Perlas qualitative grading scale. The actual gastric volume was endoscopically suctioned. Full stomach was defined as gastric volume > 1.5 mL·kg-1 and/or the presence of solid particles. We constructed receiver operating characteristic curves to determine the accuracy of ultrasonographic measurement of RLD CSA to detect a gastric volume > 1.5 mL·kg-1 and calculated the diagnostic test attributes of RLD CSA for the identification of a gastric volume > 1.5 mL·kg-1 RESULTS: The incidence of full stomach was 8/81 (9.8%) in patients > 60 yr of age and 1/79 (1.2%) in young patients (risk difference, 8.6%; 95% CI, 1.3 to 15.8; P = 0.03). The cut-off value of RLD CSA was 10.4 cm2 for the detection of gastric volume > 1.5 mL·kg-1 in patients > 60 yr of age, with a sensitivity of 75%, a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100%, and a negative predictive value of 98.6%.

CONCLUSION

Patients > 60 yr of age scheduled for gastroscopy under sedation had a higher incidence of a full stomach detected with ultrasound compared with a younger cohort, which is potentially associated with a higher aspiration risk. We calculated a cut-off value of RLD CSA for detecting gastric volume in patients > 60 yr of age of approximately 10 cm2, which may help to quickly assess patients at risk of aspiration.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2100048994); registered 19 July 2021.

Mallory-Weiss syndrome in four hemodialysis patients: a case study

BACKGROUND

Hemodialysis patients are prone to gastrointestinal bleeding, and Mallory-Weiss syndrome (MWS) is one of the causes. Mallory-Weiss syndrome is often induced by severe vomiting, manifests as upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and is self-limited with a good prognosis. However, mild vomiting in hemodialysis patients can lead to the occurrence of MWS, and the mild early symptoms are easy to misdiagnose, leading to the aggravation of the disease.

CASE PRESENTATION

In this paper, we report four hemodialysis patients with MWS. All patients displayed symptoms of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The diagnosis of MWS was confirmed by gastroscopy. One patient had a history of severe vomiting; however, the other three reported histories of mild vomiting. Three patients received the conservative hemostasis treatment, and the gastrointestinal bleeding stopped. One patient underwent the gastroscopic and interventional hemostasis treatments. The conditions of three of the patients improved. Unfortunately, one of the patients died due to the cardia insufficiency.

CONCLUSIONS

We think that the mild symptoms of MWS are easily covered up by other symptoms. This may lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment. For patients with severe symptoms, gastroscopic hemostasis is still the first choice, and interventional hemostasis can also be considered. For patients with mild symptoms, drug hemostasis is the first consideration.

Comparative preoperative sonological assessment of gastric contents in patients with chronic kidney disease versus those with normal renal function - A prospective observational study

Background and Aims

Though the role of fasting preoperative gastric ultrasound has been validated in different patient populations, namely, obese, pregnant and diabetics, it has not been explored in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This prospective, observational study compared the fasting sonological assessment of gastric contents in patients with CKD versus those with normal renal function scheduled for elective surgery.

Methods

After ethical approval and trial registration were obtained, preoperative gastric ultrasound was done in 115 CKD patients and 115 with normal renal function. Qualitative and quantitative assessment of residual gastric volume was done. Also, the patients were administered the Porto Alegre Dyspeptic Symptoms Questionnaire (PADYQ) to evaluate gastroparesis objectively. The researcher was not blinded to the patient groups. Data analyses were done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows software (version 22.0).

Results

Gastric volumes exceeding 1.5 ml/kg or particulate or solid contents were found in 57 patients with CKD and 36 patients with normal renal function (P = 0.004). The PADYQ scores were 6.54 ± 8.49 for CKD and 2.15 ± 5.71 for normal renal function (P < 0.0001) groups. CKD patients had a higher age (P < 0.001), lower body mass index (P = 0.005) and higher incidence of diabetes mellitus (P < 0.001). There were no incidents of gastric aspiration.

Conclusion

Renal dysfunction contributes to delayed gastric emptying. PADYQ can also help identify those at high risk of gastroparesis. Combining the questionnaire and preoperative gastric ultrasound must be considered in these patients to ensure optimum safety.

Delayed gastric emptying in nondiabetic patients with end-stage kidney disease

Objective

This study aimed to assess the gastric emptying capacity in nondiabetic patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) by ultrasound.

Methods

Consecutive hemodialysis patients with ESKD (n = 37) and healthy controls (n = 37) were enrolled. All ESKD patients underwent ultrasound examinations on the day of hemodialysis (dialysis day) and the day after hemodialysis (nondialysis day). Standard ultrasound examinations were performed after overnight fasting, immediately after a light meal, and at 6 h after a meal. The antral cross-sectional area and gastric emptying according to the Perlas grading system were evaluated.

Results

Compared with the controls, patients with ESKD, on both dialysis and non-dialysis days, had significantly larger antral areas when examined in the supine position (p = 0.002 and p = 0.003, respectively), but not in the right lateral decubitus position (p = 0.452 and p = 0.512, respectively). In the supine position, the antral area of ESKD patients before dialysis (8 a.m. on the dialysis day) was larger than that at the same time on the nondialysis day (p = 0.028). The controls had a Perlas grade of either 0 or 1 at 6 h after a meal, whereas five patients (13.5%) and 11 patients (29.7%) in the ESKD group had Perlas grade 2 on the dialysis and non-dialysis days, respectively. Among patients with or without delayed gastric emptying, no differences were detected in the dialysis duration or levels of biochemical markers, except blood urea nitrogen (p = 0.038) and serum creatinine (p = 0.003).

Conclusion

Nondiabetic patients with ESKD had significantly delayed gastric emptying. Hemodialysis might improve gastric emptying and reduce gastric emptying delay.

Prediction of postoperative nausea and vomiting by point-of-care gastric ultrasound: can we improve complications and length of stay in emergency surgery? A cohort study

Background

Postoperative nausea and vomiting and postoperative ileus are common after major digestive surgery and represent one of the significant problems in Acute Care Surgery.

The delivery model of emergency surgery needs to be improved in order to foster a patient-centered care.

The multimodal approach suggested by Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Guidelines is gaining widespread acceptance but is difficult to apply to emergency surgery.

Ultrasound examination of the gastric antrum allows a reliable assessment of gastric contents and volume and might help contribute to improve perioperative care in the emergency setting.

Methods

Gastric ultrasound examinations were performed preoperatively and postoperatively on forty-one patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. Gastric cross-sectional area (CSA) was measured, in order to estimate the gastric volume. The data obtained were used to evaluate a possible relationship between delayed gastric emptying and postoperative adverse event.

Results

Gastric antrum detection rate varied from 31.8% in open up to 78.9% in laparoscopic surgeries (p = 0.003). Six patients experienced adverse outcomes, had an antiemetic therapy administered and/or a nasogastric tube inserted. Mean CSA was significantly higher in this group (12.95 cm² vs 6.12 cm²; p = 0.040).

Conclusions

Sensitivity of gastric ultrasound varies depending on surgical technique. A dilated gastric antrum is significantly related to postoperative adverse outcomes and a careful ultrasound follow-up might help tailor postoperative nutrition and antiemetic therapy. In patients who experienced adverse events, antral CSA showed an average increase of more than 50% over a period of 72 h after surgery. A relative measure could be used to predict the risk of postoperative ileus. Overall, gastric ultrasound seems to be a promising diagnostic tool and a useful way to integrate ERAS® protocol in emergency abdominal surgery.

Point-of-care ultrasound defines gastric content in elective surgical patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Delayed gastric emptying and the resultant "full stomach" is the most important risk factor for perioperative pulmonary aspiration. Using point-of-care gastric sonography, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of full stomach and its risk factors in elective surgical patients with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

Type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic elective surgical patients were included from July 2017 to April 2018 in a 1:1 ratio. The study was retrospectively registered at July 2017, after enrollment of the first participant. Gastric ultrasound was performed 2 h after ingesting clear fluid or 6 h after a light meal. Full stomach was defined by the presence of gastric content in both semi-recumbent and right lateral decubitus positions. For patients with full or intermediate stomach, consecutive ultrasound scan was performed until empty stomach was detected. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors associated with full stomach.

RESULTS

Fifty-two type 2 diabetic and fifty non-diabetic patients were analyzed. The prevalence of full stomach was 48.1% (25/52) in diabetic patients, with 44.0% for 2-h fast after clear fluid and 51.9% for 6-h fast after a light meal, significantly higher than 8% (4/50) in non-diabetic patients (P = 0.000). The average time to empty stomach in diabetic patients was 146.50 ± 40.91 mins for clear liquid and 426.50 ± 45.25 mins for light meal, respectively. Further analysis indicated that presence of diabetes-related eye disease was an independent risk factor of full stomach in diabetic patients (OR = 4.83, P = 0.010).

CONCLUSIONS

Almost half of type 2 diabetic patients have a full stomach following the current preoperative fasting guideline. Preoperative ultrasound assessment of gastric content in type 2 diabetic patients is suggested, especially for those with diabetes -related eye disease.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov with registration number NCT03217630 . Retrospectively registered on 14th July 2017.

Effectiveness of standard fasting guidelines as assessed by gastric ultrasound examination: A clinical audit

Background and Aims:

An audit was conducted between July 2017 and November 2017 to assess the adequacy of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) fasting guidelines on 246 patients by means of gastric ultrasonography (USG). The relevance of this audit is that many of our patients have one or more risk factors for aspiration such as diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease (CKD), gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and obesity.

Methods:

This audit was a prospective observational study which included all patients posted for surgery within the audit period. Patients were fasted according to ASA fasting guidelines. Their gastric content was assessed preoperatively using USG. The residual gastric volume was calculated using a validated formula. Statistical correlation between gastric volumes and the risk factors were analysed.

Results:

Of 246 patients, 69 (28.04%) had high residual gastric volume. We found no correlation between hours of fasting and residual gastric volume (P = 0.47). We found a linear correlation between rising body mass index and residual gastric volume (P < 0.0001). Patients with GERD had 2.3 times higher risk. The CKD patient subgroup had 24 patients (30%) with high residual gastric volume. No incidents of aspiration were noted.

Conclusion:

In our audit, we found that risk factor association has a greater effect on residual gastric volume than hours of fasting. While the current fasting guidelines are adequate for healthy individuals, they are not conclusive in patients with risk factors. Ultrasound assessment of preoperative gastric volume is an effective screening tool in patients with risk factors.

Ultrasound assessment of gastric contents in children undergoing elective ear, nose and throat surgery: a prospective cohort study

Ultrasound examination of the gastric antrum allows reliable assessment of gastric contents and volume. Postoperative assessment of gastric contents before recovery from anaesthesia could help the physician to choose the most appropriate extubation technique after surgery in children. In this prospective observational study, we assessed whether significant changes occurred in gastric contents during the intra-operative period in children undergoing elective ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery. Children aged between six months and 16 years were recruited consecutively. Ultrasound examination of the antrum was performed before induction of anaesthesia and at the end of surgery before tracheal extubation, and included quantitative and qualitative assessment of gastric contents. The mean (SD) gastric volume was 0.28 (0.30) ml.kg^-1 before surgery and 0.27 (0.30) ml.kg^-1 after surgery, p = 0.82. No solid contents were identified in the antrum, and the gastric volume was < 1.5 ml.kg^-1 in all patients during both ultrasound examinations. Our results suggest that, after elective ENT surgery, children are not at risk of a full stomach before tracheal extubation, and that pulmonary aspiration of blood that may occur after elective ENT surgery is probably not related to regurgitation of ingested blood from the stomach.