GUS : Gastric Ultrasound Scanner

Patients with comorbidities that delay gastric emptying, such as diabetic gastroparesis, neuromuscular disorders, morbid obesity, and advanced hepatic or renal disease, may potentially benefit from additional assessment via gastric ultrasound scanner (GUS) before an elective procedure.

The main objective of point-of-care (POC) gastric ultrasound is to help clinicians assess gastric contents when NPO status, which is unknown or uncertain in the immediate pre-anesthetic period.

Which ultrasound scanners do doctors use for gastric assessment?

It is important to acknowledge that a POC gastric ultrasound examination with the SIFULTRAS-5.42 can conclusively rule in or rule out a clinical diagnosis.

A curved array low-frequency transducer (2–5 MHz) with standard abdominal settings is most useful in adults. It provides the necessary penetration to identify the relevant anatomic landmarks. A linear high-frequency transducer can be used in leaner or paediatric patients or to obtain detailed images of the gastric wall. The gastric wall is 4–6 mm thick and has a characteristic appearance of five distinct sonographic layers that are best visualized with a high-frequency transducer (e.g. 5–12 MHz) in the fasting state.

Gastric US can provide valuable insight into the nature and volume of gastric content before performing a block with sedation or inducing anesthesia for an urgent or emergent procedure where NPO status is unknown.

Hence to assess gastric content and volume to clinically evaluate aspiration risk by providing qualitative and quantitative information.

Other than anesthesiologists, POC gastric ultrasound is also useful to emergency physicians and intensivists who take part in sedation and airway management.

Source : USRA Ultrasound Guided Regional Anesthesia.

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Disclaimer: Although the information we provide is used by different doctors and medical staff to perform their procedures and clinical applications, the information contained in this article is for consideration only. SIFSOF is not responsible neither for the misuse of the device nor for the wrong or random generalizability of the device in all clinical applications or procedures mentioned in our articles. Users must have the proper training and skills to perform the procedure with each ultrasound scanner device.

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