BMC anesthesiology

Using bedside ultrasound to check stomach contents before planned surgery in people with type 2 diabetes

Updated

Abstract

The prevalence of was 48.1% in type 2 diabetic patients undergoing elective surgery.

  • Full stomach prevalence in diabetic patients was significantly higher than in non-diabetic patients (48.1% vs. 8%).
  • Diabetic patients showed a longer average time to reach an empty stomach, taking 146.50 minutes after clear liquids and 426.50 minutes after a light meal.
  • The presence of diabetes-related eye disease was identified as an independent risk factor for having a full stomach in diabetic patients.
  • Preoperative ultrasound assessment of gastric content may be beneficial for type 2 diabetic patients, particularly those with diabetes-related eye disease.

Simplified

Key numbers

48.1%
Prevalence of
prevalence in type 2 diabetic patients
146.50 ± 40.91 mins
Average Gastric Emptying Time (Clear Liquid)
Time for diabetic patients to reach empty stomach after clear liquids
4.83
Odds Ratio for
Risk of associated with diabetes-related eye disease

Full Text

What this is

  • This study investigates gastric content in elective surgical patients with type 2 diabetes using point-of-care ultrasound.
  • Delayed gastric emptying poses a risk for pulmonary aspiration during anesthesia, particularly in diabetic patients.
  • The research assesses the prevalence of a '' and identifies risk factors associated with this condition.

Essence

  • In elective surgical patients with type 2 diabetes, 48.1% had a post-fasting guidelines, significantly higher than the 8% in non-diabetic patients. Diabetes-related eye disease was identified as an independent risk factor for a .

Key takeaways

  • The prevalence of was 48.1% in type 2 diabetic patients, compared to 8% in non-diabetic patients. This indicates a substantial risk of pulmonary aspiration during surgery.
  • The average gastric emptying time for diabetic patients was 146.50 ± 40.91 mins after clear liquids and 426.50 ± 45.25 mins after a light meal, longer than recommended fasting durations.
  • Diabetes-related eye disease was associated with a 4.83 odds ratio for having a , indicating a need for tailored preoperative assessments in this population.

Caveats

  • The study's findings may not apply to all diabetic patients, as only type 2 diabetes patients were included, limiting generalizability.
  • Ultrasound assessments were not performed immediately before anesthesia, which may affect the accuracy of gastric content predictions.

Definitions

  • Full stomach: Presence of gastric content detected by ultrasound, indicating increased risk of aspiration during anesthesia.

Simplified

Funding

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
PubMed

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