Delayed gastric emptying in ventilated critically ill patients: Measurement by 13C-octanoic acid breath test

Abstract

Gastric emptying of a calorie-dense liquid meal is slow in 40% to 45% of unselected mechanically ventilated patients in a combined medical and surgical intensive care unit. The 13C-octanoic acid breath test is a novel and useful bedside technique to measure gastric emptying in these patients.