Gastric Ultrasound Assessment for Patients Taking Cannabis

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Gastric Ultrasound; Point of Care Ultrasound; Cannabis Use
• Interventions: Other: Gastric Ultrasound Exam

• Registration Number: NCT06567873
• Lead Sponsor: Hospital for Special Surgery, New York

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to perform bedside gastric point of care ultrasound (POCUS) exams to assess the gastric volume and content (clear liquids vs solid food) perioperatively in patients who report cannabis use.

Detailed Description

Cannabis use in the United States has continued to increase in recent years, particularly in the adult population. Ease of access through legalization paired with improved public perception has contributed to the uptick in cannabis use. The subset of cannabis users suffering from pain who present for surgery pose a risk for perioperative aspiration due to the slowing of gastric motility due to cannabis use. There is currently no adapted NPO guideline to account for cannabis use.

Gastric Ultrasound (GUS) can be used as a bedside tool for assessing a patient's stomach contents and risk of aspiration. GUS can identify whether a patient's stomach is empty or filled with clear liquid, thick liquid, or solid food. The volume of the stomach can be accurately calculated if there is clear liquid content. A full stomach is categorized as those with solid or thick liquid content or with clear liquid measuring more than 1.5 ml/kg body weight. As GUS is noninvasive and does not pose risk to patients, it is a useful tool assessing aspiration risk in the preoperative period.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2024-08-20
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-08-20
• Study First Posted: 2024-08-23
• Status Verified: 2024-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-05-06
• Last Update Posted: 2025-05-09
• Study Start: 2026-04-01
• Primary Completion: 2026-07
• Study Completion: 2026-07

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

• Any patient reporting preoperative cannabis usage within 1 month of surgery date

Exclusion Criteria

• Patient refusal to participate
• Patient with gastric bypass or any other gastric surgery
• Large hiatal hernia
• Patients with large ascites
• Patients on peritoneal dialysis
• Emergency surgery
• Pre-existing diagnosis of gastroparesis
• Parkinson's disease
• Diabetes
• Currently taking metformin
• Chronic kidney disease stage 3 or higher
• Creatinine ≥ 1.2
• Esophageal surgery
• Currently taking GLP1 agonist medication

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Cannabis Users	Gastric Ultrasound Exam	The cannabis user group will be comprised of patients who report preoperative cannabis use. This group will receive the ultrasound exam to assess stomach contents.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Incidence of delayed gastric emptying	This will be measured pre-operatively in the holding room area.	A full stomach on gastric ultrasound is defined by the presence of either solid food, thick liquids, or a specific volume (\>1.5 ml/kg) of clear liquids on gastric ultrasound.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Nothing by mouth (NPO) intervals	This will be measured pre-operatively in the holding room area.	Measure the NPO interval after last solid food and liquid consumption
Time interval since last cannabis use	This will be measured pre-operatively in the holding room area.	Measure the time from last cannabis consumption to the time the gastric ultrasound was performed
Presence of gastric peristalsis	This will be measured pre-operatively in the holding room area.	Gastric peristalsis will be graded as absent, slow, or normal on gastric ultrasound

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Hospital for Special Surgery; 🇺🇸 New York, New York, United States