REGURGITATION OF GASTRIC CONTENTS DURING GENERAL ANAESTHESIA USING THE LARYNGEAL MASK AIRWAY

We have investigated the incidence of regurgitation of gastriccontents during general anaesthesia administered via a laryngeaimask airway (LMA) or face mask and Guedel airway in 56 patientswith no risk factors for regurgitation. Patients swallowed agelatine capsule containing methylene blue 10 min before inductionof anaesthesia. Fibreoptic laryn–goscopy in the LMA groupor conventional laryn-goscopy in the face mask group was performedat the end of surgery. Dye was observed within the laryngeaimask in seven of 28 patients (25%). No patients in the facemask-Guedel airway group regurgitated dye (P = 0.005). Therewas no evidence of aspiration of dye.