Prevention of aspiration pneumonitis in the obstetric patient.

Perioperative pulmonary aspiration of gastric content in obstetric patients is associated with significant morbidity in terms of need for intensive care and a prolonged hospital stay (1,2), may have fatal consequences (3,4) and has obvious medicolegal implications. When Mendelson published his classic paper (3) on pulmonary aspiration of gastric content in obstetric patients 50 years ago, he included several recommendations on how to prevent this anaesthe sia-related complication. These recommendations are still valid.