• Christopher D Miller, Jill A Rebuck, John W Ahern, and Frederick B Rogers.
• Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Critical Care, Fletcher Allen Health Care, 111 Colchester Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401, USA.
• Curr Surg. 2005 Sep 1;62(5):504-8.

BackgroundAlthough critically ill trauma patients represent a high-risk population for macroaspiration, studies of trauma patients have not been explored. The study aims were to quantify rate and associated risks of macroaspiration and explore the pattern of antibiotic use and incidence of aspiration pneumonia within this patient group.MethodsConsecutive trauma patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were prospectively observed for development of macroaspiration and subsequent aspiration pneumonia. Daily monitoring included chart review, laboratory and radiography results, and nurse inquiries for witnessed macroaspiration events.ResultsSeven of 60 patients included experienced a clinically confirmed macroaspiration event (11.7%). The incidence of pneumonia was similar, regardless of macroaspiration occurrence (28.6%: macroaspiration cases vs 17.0%: controls, p > or = 0.05). Patients with macroaspiration required a longer duration of mechanical ventilation (15 vs 9.5 days, p = 0.021) and intensive care unit stay (28 vs 7 days, p = 0.015). Paralytic agent utilization was associated with an increased risk for aspiration (p = 0.045).ConclusionsThe incidence of macroaspiration within a critically ill trauma population may be less frequent compared with studies performed in other patient populations. Although macroaspiration was associated with a longer duration of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit stay, this condition may not be associated with an increased rate of pulmonary infection.

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