Effect of I-gel versus endotracheal intubation on perioperative gastric volume and postoperative gastrointestinal recovery in diabetic patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgeries: a randomized comparative study.

The study will begin after approval from the Institutional Ethical Committee and registration with the Clinical Trials Registry – India (CTRI). After obtaining informed consent, patients will be randomly assigned to either Group A (endotracheal intubation) or Group B (I-Gel insertion) using a computer-generated random number table and opaque sealed envelopes for allocation concealment. Preoperative assessment will include antral cross-sectional area (CSA) measurement using ultrasound. Standardized general anesthesia will be administered, and airway management will follow group allocation. Ventilation settings will be consistent across groups, and intra-abdominal pressure and Trendelenburg tilt will be maintained as per surgical needs. Data collection will include antral CSA at three time points, hemodynamic parameters, intraoperative ventilatory parameters (leak volume, leak fraction, peak and plateau airway pressures, EtCO2), and gastrointestinal recovery indicators such as time to clear fluids, light diet, flatus, and bowel movement. Gastric distension will be graded by the surgeon using a 5-point Likert scale, and postoperative complications such as nausea, vomiting, and sore throat will be recorded for 24 hours. At the end of surgery, anesthesia will be discontinued and reversal agents administered, with removal of airway devices based on adequate signs of recovery.