Jean-Noël Evain1, Zoé Durand2, Kelly Dilworth2, Sarah Sintzel2, Aurélien Courvoisier3, Guillaume Mortamet4, François-Pierrick Desgranges5, Lionel Bouvet6, Jean-François Payen2. 1. Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Grenoble-Alpes University Hospital, CS 10217, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9, France. Electronic address: jnevain@chu-grenoble.fr. 2. Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Grenoble-Alpes University Hospital, CS 10217, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9, France. 3. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Grenoble-Alpes University Hospital, CS 10217, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9, France. 4. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Grenoble-Alpes University Hospital, CS 10217, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9, France. 5. Department of Anesthesia, L'Hôpital Nord-Ouest, Villefranche sur Saône Hospital, 69655 Villefranche sur Saône, France. 6. Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Hospital Woman Mother Child, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 59 Boulevard Pinel, 69500 Bron, France.
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE: Children with acute extremity fractures are commonly considered to be at risk of pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents during the induction of anesthesia. This study aimed to evaluate the proportion of such children with high-risk gastric contents using preoperative gastric ultrasound. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING: Specialist pediatric center over a 30-month period. PATIENTS: Children undergoing surgery within 24 h of an acute extremity fracture. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS: According to preoperative qualitative and quantitative ultrasound analysis of the antrum in the supine and right lateral decubitus positions, gastric contents were classified as high-risk (clear liquid with calculated gastric fluid volume > 0.8 mL.kg-1, thick liquid, or solid) or low-risk. Factors associated with high-risk gastric contents were identified by multivariable analysis. MAIN RESULTS: Forty-one children (37%; 95% CI: 28-47) of the 110 studied (mean(SD) age: 10(3) years) presented with high-risk gastric contents, including 26 (24%; 95% CI: 16-33) with solids/thick liquid contents. Scanning in the supine position alone allowed a diagnosis of high-risk gastric contents in 23 children out of the 63 for whom right lateral decubitus positioning was unfeasible. Gastric contents remained undetermined in 41 children, including one with a non-contributory gastric US (antrum non-visualized). Proximal limb fractures (OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.0-6.2), preoperative administration of opioids (OR: 3.9; 95% CI: 1.1-13), and the absence of bowel sounds (OR: 8.0; 95% CI: 1.4-44) were associated with high-risk gastric contents. Performing surgery the day following the trauma was a protective factor (OR: 0.1; 95% CI: 0.0-0.6). No cases of pulmonary aspiration occurred. CONCLUSIONS: At least one-third of children with an acute isolated extremity fracture had preoperative gastric contents identified as high risk for pulmonary aspiration. Although preoperative history can guide anesthetic strategy in this population, ultrasound allowed clear stratification of the risk of aspiration in most cases.
STUDY OBJECTIVE: Children with acute extremity fractures are commonly considered to be at risk of pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents during the induction of anesthesia. This study aimed to evaluate the proportion of such children with high-risk gastric contents using preoperative gastric ultrasound. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING: Specialist pediatric center over a 30-month period. PATIENTS: Children undergoing surgery within 24 h of an acute extremity fracture. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS: According to preoperative qualitative and quantitative ultrasound analysis of the antrum in the supine and right lateral decubitus positions, gastric contents were classified as high-risk (clear liquid with calculated gastric fluid volume > 0.8 mL.kg-1, thick liquid, or solid) or low-risk. Factors associated with high-risk gastric contents were identified by multivariable analysis. MAIN RESULTS: Forty-one children (37%; 95% CI: 28-47) of the 110 studied (mean(SD) age: 10(3) years) presented with high-risk gastric contents, including 26 (24%; 95% CI: 16-33) with solids/thick liquid contents. Scanning in the supine position alone allowed a diagnosis of high-risk gastric contents in 23 children out of the 63 for whom right lateral decubitus positioning was unfeasible. Gastric contents remained undetermined in 41 children, including one with a non-contributory gastric US (antrum non-visualized). Proximal limb fractures (OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.0-6.2), preoperative administration of opioids (OR: 3.9; 95% CI: 1.1-13), and the absence of bowel sounds (OR: 8.0; 95% CI: 1.4-44) were associated with high-risk gastric contents. Performing surgery the day following the trauma was a protective factor (OR: 0.1; 95% CI: 0.0-0.6). No cases of pulmonary aspiration occurred. CONCLUSIONS: At least one-third of children with an acute isolated extremity fracture had preoperative gastric contents identified as high risk for pulmonary aspiration. Although preoperative history can guide anesthetic strategy in this population, ultrasound allowed clear stratification of the risk of aspiration in most cases.