MENDELSON SYNDROME

Course overview

IN CURTIS LESTER MENDELSON’S ORIGINAL 1946 DESCRIPTION OF HIS NAMESAKE SYNDROME, CHEMICAL PNEUMONITIS WAS DESCRIBED IN YOUNG AND HEALTHY OBSTETRICAL PATIENTS FOLLOWING ASPIRATION OF GASTRIC ACID UNDER ANESTHESIA. THE STANDARD USE OF REGIONAL ANESTHESIA FOR MOST LABORING WOMEN AND INCREASED AWARENESS AMONG ANESTHESIA PROVIDERS REGARDING THE HIGH RISK OF ASPIRATION AND POTENTIAL DIFFICULT AIRWAY MANAGEMENT IN PARTURIENTS HAS INCREASED THE SAFETY IN THIS POPULATION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF MENDELSON SYNDROME AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.