Anesthesia and analgesia
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Jul 2023
Ultrasound Assessment of Gastric Volume in Parturients After High-Flow Nasal Oxygen Therapy.
High-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) therapy is widely used in critical care obstetrics to improve oxygenation. Much of the benefit of HFNO is linked to the creation of modest levels of positive airway pressure. Pregnant women are generally considered to be at high risk of regurgitation and aspiration. It is unknown whether HFNO may cause gas insufflation into the stomach and further increase this risk. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically evaluate the possible safety effects of HFNO on gastric volume in healthy fasted parturients. ⋯ Treatment with HFNO for 20 minutes at flow rates up to 50 L·min -1 did not increase gastric volume in term pregnant women breathing spontaneously when evaluated by gastric ultrasonography.