GASTRIC FLUID MEASUREMENT BY BLIND ASPIRATION IN PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS -A GASTROSCOPIC EVALUATION

Purpose: Numerous investigators have estimated gastric fluid volume us ing blind aspiration through multi-orificed catheters, but none have c onfirmed the validity of this technique in infants and children. We so ught validate the accuracy of this technique in a fasted paediatric po pulation by using gastroscopy. Data from several studies were. then co mbined to generate a gastric fluid volume frequency distribution for h ealthy paediatric patients faced for surgery. Methods: This is a prosp ective study of 17 patients aged six months to 11 yr who underwent ele ctive upper endoscopy at a paediatric teaching hospital, Gastric conte nts were aspirated blindly with a syringe and a 16 or 18F multi-orific ed orogastric tube, and the volume of gastric contents removed in the supine and decubitus positions was measured. Residual gastric fluid wa s aspirated-using an endoscope. Data from 611 infants and children enr olled in previously published studies utilizing the same blind aspirat ion technique were pooled and a gastric fluid volume frequency distrib ution was created. Results: Blind aspiration removed 97 +/- 8% of the total gastric fluid volume, In 661 children presenting for elective su rgery, the gastric fluid volume was 0.40 +/- 0.45 ml . kg(-1). Median volume was 0.27 ml . kg(-1), with the 95%ile at 1.25 ml . kg(-1) and a n upper limit of 4.1 ml . kg(-1). Conclusion: Blind aspiration of gast ric contents accurately estimates gastric fluid volume for paediatric patients fasted for surgery, Population estimates for gastric fluid vo lume in otherwise healthy fasted paediatric patients are shown.