Journal of clinical anesthesia
-
Meta Analysis
The role of perioperative chewing gum on gastric fluid volume and gastric pH: a meta-analysis.
To determine if preoperative gum chewing affects gastric pH and gastric fluid volume. ⋯ Chewing gum in the perioperative period causes small but statically significant increases in gastric fluid volume and no change in gastric pH. The increase in gastric fluid most likely is of no clinical significance in terms of aspiration risk for the patient. Elective surgery should not necessarily be canceled or delayed in healthy patients who accidentally chew gum preoperatively.