The effect of preoperative oral carbohydrate-containing clear fluid on gastric emptying in patients undergoing abdominal surgery

Abstract

Introduction: Drinking carbohydrate-containing clear liquids until 2 hours before elective procedures improves patient satisfaction and reduces insulin resistance, but the likelihood of delayed gastric emptying, a risk factor of pulmonary aspiration in anesthesia, is unclear. Therefore, we designed a study to assess the effects of drinking carbohydrate-containing clear liquid until 2 hours before the elective gastrointestinal surgery on gastric emptying and gastric residual volume measured by ultrasonography. Patients and Methods: Randomized controlled trial designs including 64 patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery in Viet Duc University Hospital. The intervention group received 400 ml maltodextrin 12.5% in 2 hours prior to surgery, and the control group fasted overnight as usual. Results: The residual fluid estimated by ultrasound in the intervention group and the intervention group were 25.70 ± 21.13 and 31.01 ± 26.74 in the controlled group (p>0.05). The gastric fluid collected by the nasogastric tube is not significantly different between the two groups (intervention group: 15.00 ± 23.34 ml; controlled group: 12.72 ± 22.43 ml). There was no aspiration case in both groups. Conclusion: Taking carbohydrates- containing clear liquids until 2 hours before general anesthesia influences neither gastric emptying nor perioperative complications. Keywords: Carbohydrate-containing clear liquids, gastric residual volume, gastric ultrasound.