TDNet Discover

Aspiration of gastric contents remains a significant perioperative complication, with potentially disastrous consequences such as pneumonia, hypoxia, or even death. Accurate assessment of aspiration risk is crucial, yet traditional clinical methods often rely on subjective interpretation of fasting history and clinical intuition, leaving room for variability and human error. This issue is particularly important in complex patient populations, such as those with delayed gastric emptying, where reliance on traditional methods may compromise safety. Emerging evidence suggests that gastric ultrasound offers a unique, evidence-based approach to aspiration risk assessment by providing real-time, objective data on gastric contents and volume. However, despite its potential to enhance anesthesia providers’ confidence in decision-making, its widespread adoption has been hindered by gaps in training, protocol standardization, and workflow integration. This literature review examines how incorporating gastric ultrasound into an aspiration risk assessment checklist influences anesthesia providers' confidence in predicting aspiration risk compared to traditional clinical methods. The project focuses on anesthesia providers in a tertiary care hospital, evaluating whether integrating gastric ultrasound into the assessment process enhances confidence over a two-week implementation period. By exploring themes such as provider confidence, checklist effectiveness, and technical proficiency, this review highlights the transformative potential of gastric ultrasound in improving aspiration risk assessment and identifies barriers to its successful adoption.