Stopped: Patient enrollment difficulties
Nearly half of critically ill children are intubated and enterally fed according to recent guidelines. However, no evidence-based recommendation are available regarding fasting times prior to extubation. When an extubation is planned, children do not always present with normal neurological status yet, and are at risk of vomiting and aspiration. Extubation may also fail and require re-intubation with similar risks. Thus, pre-operative fasting guidelines are often transposed to the paediatric critical care setting, aiming for an empty stomach at extubation, with perceived decreased risks of aspiration. However, the gastric and gut motility pathophysiology is significantly different in critically ill children (frequent gastroparesis, liquid continuous feeding, etc.) compared to planned surgery children. The extrapolation of practice validated in the latter population may be inadequate. The stomach may be empty more or less rapidly than expected, leading to unnecessary prolonged fasting times or inappropriately short fasting times respectively. Gastric ultrasounding monitoring may help assessing gastric content prior to extubation. Investigators hypothesise gastric content clearance may be different in critically ill children prior to extubation, compared to pre-operative paediatric guidelines for elective surgery.
Age range
0 Years – 17 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Percentage of critically ill children presenting with a full stomach 6 hours after enteral feeding interruption for planned extubation
Timeframe: 12 hours following the inclusion