Evaluation of the safety and tolerance of oral 25 % maltodextrin as a carbohydrate drink during preoperative fasting in children

The aim of the study was to estimate safety and tolerance of oral 25 % maltodextrin 5 ml/kg two hours before induction of anaesthesia in children. Methods: sixty patients 2–17 years old scheduled for orthopaedic surgery were divided into two groups. Patients in group “M” received 5 ml/kg of 25 % maltodextrin as a carbohydrate drink two hours before the surgery. Patients in group “K” were fasted according to current recommendation for preoperative fasting. A present of the gastric content before induction and its volume and pH after induction was evaluated. Cases of bronchial aspiration were registered. In group “M” tolerance of preoperative oral 25 % maltodextrin was estimated. Results: the gastric content defined seldom by ultrasound examination before induction in both groups. Volume of gastric content from gastric tube after induction was comparable (0.4±0.28 ml/kg in group “M” vs. 0.5±0.44 ml/kg in group “K”, p=0.68), but pH of gastric content was significantly higher in group “M” (2.86±0.99 vs. 2.10±0.9, р