Aspiration Under Anaesthesia

Question 1

How would you recognise that a patient has regurgitated and aspirated gastric contents during an anaesthetic administered via supraglottic airway device

Answer 1

Airway:

Gastric Contents visible in the orophraynx or tubing of the supraglottic airway device

Breathing:

Desaturation
Cyanosis
Bronchospasm
Increased airway pressure / Reduced tidal volumes (if the patient was being ventilated)
Abnormal Auscultation

Cardiovascular:

Tachycardia