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Anesth Analg 2005;101:597-600
© 2005 International Anesthesia Research Society
doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000159378.97509.8D

GENERAL ARTICLES

The Influence of Postural Changes on Gastroesophageal Reflux and Barrier Pressure in Nonfasting Individuals

Hans-Christian Jeske, MD*, Jan Borovicka, MD*, Achim von Goedecke, MD{ddagger}, Christa Meyenberger, MD*, Thomas Heidegger, MD{dagger}, and Arnulf Benzer, MD, DEAA{ddagger}

*Department of Gastroenterology, {dagger}Department of Anaesthesia, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland; {ddagger}Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Jan Borovicka, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, CH-9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland. Address e-mail to jan.borovicka{at}kssg.ch.

There is controversy regarding optimal body positioning (i.e., head-up, head-down) in awake nonfasting individuals to minimize the risk for pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents as the result of gastroesophageal reflux (GER). In the present study, we investigated GER and intragastric-esophageal barrier pressure by means of multichannel intraluminal impedance measurement and intragastric-esophageal manometry in awake, nonfasting volunteers randomly positioned in a 20° head-up position, the supine position, and a 20° head-down position. No significant difference among positions was found with respect to number of GER episodes per person (0/1/1) or intragastric-esophageal barrier pressure (15.6/19.6/19.4 mm Hg). We conclude that specific body positioning is useless in the prophylaxis of GER in awake nonfasting individuals.






Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins Anesthesia & Analgesia® is published for the International Anesthesia Research Society® by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with the assistance of Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press®. Copyright 2006 by the International Anesthesia Research Society. Online ISSN: 1526-7598   Print ISSN: 0003-2999 HighWire Press
Copyright © 2005 by the International Anesthesia Research Society.