The Effect of Intravenous Erythromycin on Gastric Emptying in Non-fasted Patients Before Emergency Total Anesthesia

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults, age ≥18 years, male or female. * American Society of Anaesthesiology \[ASA\] status I, II or III. * Non-starving patients presenting for surgery. * Patients able to read and understand the information sheet and to sign the consent form. * If the patient is female and of childbearing potential, she must have a negative pregnancy test Exclusion Criteria: * A history of allergy or hypersensitivity to erythromycin or other macrolides. * Concomitant use of terfenadine, astemizole, cisapride, pimozid, cyclosporine, clarithromycine. * Patient with acute intermittent porphyria. * Acute or subacute necrosis of the liver, acute or subacute hepatitis, acute liver trauma * Acute renal failure, acute glomerulonephritis, nephritic syndrome, chronic renal failure with electrolyte disorders, uremia * Exacerbated asthma, exacerbated chronic obstructive lung disease, acute pulmonary infection * Coronary heart disease (unstable angina, MI within the last 6 months), decompensated cardiac insufficiency, aortic aneurysm * Polyneuropathy (for instance, due to diabetes mellitus) * Patients with oesophageal and pharyngeal disease (i.e. oesophageal varices, oesophageal and pharyngeal cancer, Zenker's diverticulum). * Status after gastric surgery, gastric bypass surgery, Nissen operation * Patients with life threatening illness or injury needing immediate surgery * Patients with moderate to severe head trauma (GCS on admission \<13) * Psychological or psychiatric disord…