Gastric distention is uncomfortable inflation of the stomach caused by gas, which can occur during CPR or medical procedures, or as a result of overeating or certain conditions. It can cause breathing difficulties and infections, and may require repositioning or gentle pressure to vent. Gastric dilatation is a more serious concern that can lead to a ruptured stomach.
Gastric distention is uncomfortable inflation of the stomach caused by gas. This can occur when a patient is not adequately ventilated during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or medical procedures, or as a complication of procedures in which gas is introduced into the abdomen. In some cases, it can be the result of overeating, seen in people with certain eating disorders and conditions such as Prader-Willi syndrome. These patients may lack the controls that normally restrain unsafe food intake.
Classically, gastric distension can occur when someone performs CPR and air travels down the esophagus instead of up the windpipe, causing the stomach to fill with air. Tilting your head back can reduce the chance of it, as can paying attention to signs that air is entering your stomach and not your lungs. There are two problems with gastric distension in this case. The patient may not be getting enough oxygen or stomach contents may be pushed into the lungs and cause an infection.
Similar gastric distention can be seen when endotracheal tubes are not positioned properly and air from a mechanical ventilator or portable bag is forced into the stomach. Healthcare professionals must pull back the tube and reinsert it to protect the patient. To safely empty the stomach, patients can be placed on their side while gentle pressure is applied to the stomach to encourage the air to vent. If the patient vomits, he is more likely to come out of the mouth than the lungs in this position.
Some surgeries involve pumping carbon dioxide into the abdomen to inflate it, making the contents easier for the surgeon to see. This is common with endoscopic surgery, where the doctor enters it through small incisions. The contents of the abdomen can be difficult to navigate when they are hard to see, and gas inflation pushes them away to allow the surgeon to view the contents clearly. Poor positioning sometimes causes gas to leak into the stomach, particularly in procedures involving the stomach, intestines, or windpipe.
Another potential concern is gastric dilatation, which goes beyond gastric distension. It includes a mixture of food and gas that the patient may not be able to digest. The swollen stomach presses against the diaphragm, which can make breathing difficult. If the patient eats too much, the stomach can actually rupture, creating a life-threatening medical emergency. Normally, gastric distention triggers the brain to tell the body to stop eating, but in some patients, the fail-safe mechanism is not functional and they may eat until they break down.
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