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1 Risk factors

Normally fasting for six hours before elective surgery is enough to predictable empty the stomach. In patients that are injured, gastric emptying is much slower.

The commonest cause of severe aspiration is reguritation of stomach contents by semiconscious patients. Patients with neurological conditions may also aspirate food or drink.

2 Consequences

If enough material enters the lungs, the patient may simply drown. However, small volumes of gastic acid contents can fatally damage the delicate lung tissue. Even small volumes of aspirated food may lead to bronchopneumonia . Chronic aspiration may lead to bronchiectasis and may cause some cases of asthma.

3 Prevention

The lungs are normally protected against aspiration by a series of protective reflexes such as coughing and swallowing. Significant aspiration can only occur if the protective reflexes are absent (in neurological disease, comaFor other meanings of the word "coma", especially in astronomy, see coma (disambiguation In medicine, a coma is a profound state of unconsciousness, which may result from a variety of conditions including intoxication ( drug, alcohol or toxins), metabolic, drug overdoseA drug overdose occurs when a chemical substance (i. drug) is ingested in quantities and/or concentrations large enough to overwhelm the homeostasis of a living organism, causing severe illness or death. Essentially is it a type of poisoning. Drug overdos, sedationSedation is a medical procedure involving administration of sedative drugs, generally to facilitate a medical procedure, such as endoscopy, or minor surgery with local anaesthesia. Airway obstruction, apnoea and hypotension are not uncommon during sedatio or general anesthesia). In intensive care, sitting patients up reduces the risk of pulmonary aspiration and ventilator associated pneumonia.

Measures to prevent aspiration depend on the situation and the patient. In patients at imminent risk of aspiration, endotracheal intubationIntubation being practiced on a dummy (conventional technique using a laryngoscope) In medicine, intubation is the placement of a tube into an external or internal orifice of the body. Although the term can refer to endoscopic procedures, it is most often by a trained health professional provides the best protection.

People with chronic neurological disorders, for example, after a stroke, are less likely to aspirate thickened fluids .

See also Salt water aspiration syndromeSalt water aspiration syndrome is a rare diving disorder suffered by SCUBA divers who inhale a mist of sea water from a faulty demand valve causing irritation of the lungs. The symptoms are: shortness of breath, cyanosis, mild fever, aches and pains.