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Preoperative magnesium trisilicate in infants
Insights
Magnesium trisilicate effectively reduces gastric acidity in young children before surgery. This antacid medication helps ensure a safer anesthetic procedure by lowering the risk of acid reflux.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Gastrointestinal Physiology
Background:
- High gastric acidity in pediatric patients poses an aspiration risk during anesthesia.
- Preoperative fasting alone may not sufficiently reduce gastric acidity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of magnesium trisilicate in neutralizing gastric acidity in children under five years old before elective surgery.
Main Methods:
- Three groups of forty children (<5 years) undergoing elective surgery were studied.
- Gastric volume and pH were measured.
- Magnesium trisilicate was administered 30 minutes prior to anesthesia induction in two groups.
Main Results:
- The control group exhibited high gastric acidity (pH ≤ 2.5) in 67.5% of cases.
- Administration of magnesium trisilicate significantly reduced gastric acidity post-induction.
- Gastric acid neutralization remained effective at the termination of anesthesia and surgery in most cases.
Conclusions:
- Magnesium trisilicate is an effective agent for reducing gastric acidity in pediatric surgical patients.
- This intervention can potentially mitigate the risk of aspiration pneumonitis.
- Further research into optimal dosing and timing may be warranted.
Abstract:
Three groups, each of forty children aged less than five years and prepared for elective surgery, had their gastric contents' volume and pH measured. The control group showed an incidence of 67-5 per cent with high acidity (pH equal to or less than 2-5). In the second and third groups magnesium trisilicate mixture was given within thirty minutes prior to induction of anaesthesia. The second group, sampled after induction of anaesthesia, showed a marked reduction in acidity, while the third group, sampled at the termination of anaesthesia and surgery, demonstrated that in most cases the neutralization of gastric acidity was still effective.