GLP-1 Drugs Are Changing How Doctors Use Pre-Surgery Stomach Ultrasound | Research

The takeaway

The rise of GLP-1 receptor agonists has increased the importance of gastric ultrasound for assessing aspiration risk, but clinicians must understand pitfalls beyond standard antral scanning.

2-5% indeterminate scans
Gastric ultrasound pitfalls require troubleshooting beyond standard antral scanning

What the researchers found

Increasing GLP-1 RA use has expanded gastric ultrasound utility, but 2-5% of exams yield indeterminate results that require knowledge of troubleshooting pitfalls beyond standard antral assessment.

Why it matters

GLP-1 drugs delay stomach emptying, increasing aspiration risk during anesthesia. Anesthesiologists need reliable gastric assessment tools, and understanding ultrasound limitations is critical for patient safety.

How the study worked

Clinical review/educational article on gastric ultrasound technique, pitfalls, and troubleshooting in the context of GLP-1 RA use.

What this study cannot tell us

Educational review rather than original research; ultrasound technique is operator-dependent; GLP-1 effects on gastric emptying vary between patients.

How to read the evidence

Clinical educational review — provides practical guidance based on current evidence and expert experience.

When this study was published

Published in 2026, addressing an increasingly common clinical challenge as GLP-1 drug use soars.

The bigger picture

The GLP-1 drug revolution is rippling through all of medicine — changing not just diabetes and obesity care but anesthesia protocols, surgical planning, and point-of-care imaging practices.

Questions still open

Should all GLP-1 drug users receive gastric ultrasound before elective surgery?
What is the optimal fasting time for GLP-1 drug users before surgery?

Common questions

Why do GLP-1 drugs affect surgery preparation?

GLP-1 drugs slow stomach emptying, meaning food and liquid stay in the stomach longer. This increases the risk of aspiration (stomach contents entering the lungs) during anesthesia, making pre-surgery stomach assessment more important.

What is gastric ultrasound?

It's a quick bedside scan that shows whether a patient's stomach is empty, full of liquid, or full of food. Anesthesiologists use it to assess aspiration risk before putting patients to sleep for surgery.

Read the original research

Beyond the antrum: troubleshooting pitfalls of gastric ultrasound.

Regional anesthesia and pain medicine

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Cheng, Peter; Perlas, Anahi; Girón-Arango, Laura. (2026). Beyond the antrum: troubleshooting pitfalls of gastric ultrasound.. Regional anesthesia and pain medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/rapm-2025-107362