ICU / ER

Gastric PoCUS research that specifically focuses on critically ill and emergency patients is still limited.
In these patients, gastric PoCUS:
- is able to diagnose the “at risk” stomach and antral CSA correlates well with aspirated gastric residual volume.
- may inform risk-benefit considerations when planning timing and medication choice for procedural sedation or induction.
- is being researched as a tool to guide enteral nutrition in the ICU instead of aspiration of residual volumes.
- can be used to detect foreign metal objects in the stomach (e.g. batteries).
- provides confirmation of accurate nasogastric tube placement in the stomach or duodenum by direct imaging of the tip or indirect confirmation through air instillation (air fogging).
Emergency physicians with experience in point-of-care ultrasound can accurately identify an “empty” stomach with excellent test performance.
Limitation: the right lateral decubitus position is not always feasible in critically ill patients.