# Effects of oral fluid in post-anesthesia care unit under ultrasound monitoring on postoperative recovery quality in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery: a randomized controlled trial

## TL;DR

This study shows that giving patients fluids early after surgery, guided by ultrasound, improves recovery and reduces hospital stay.

## Contribution

The study introduces early oral rehydration under gastric ultrasound monitoring as a safe and effective postoperative care strategy.

## Key findings

- Patients receiving early oral rehydration had higher recovery scores and less thirst compared to controls.
- Gastrointestinal recovery was faster, and hospital stay was shorter in the intervention group.
- No aspiration or pneumonia occurred, confirming the safety of the approach.

## Abstract

To explore the impact of early oral rehydration under gastric ultrasound monitoring on the postoperative recovery quality of patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia.

A randomized controlled trial was conducted, dividing 94 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia into an intervention group (early oral rehydration under ultrasound guidance, n = 47) and a control group (traditional fasting and no drinking, n = 47). The primary outcome measures included the Quality of Anesthesia Recovery, postoperative thirst degree, and the time to first flatus. Secondary outcome measures included the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and postoperative hospital stay. Safety measures included the cross-sectional area and volume of the antrum, and the occurrence of aspiration, reflux, and aspiration pneumonia.

The QoR-15 score was higher in the intervention group than in the control group (136.0 vs. 114.0, p < 0.001). The thirst NRS scores at 2 h, 6 h, and 24 h postoperatively were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.001). The recovery time of gastrointestinal function in the intervention group was 4 h shorter than that in the control group (median time: 9.10 h vs. 13.10 h, p < 0.001). The incidence of PONV was reduced by 21.27% (10.64% vs. 31.91%, p = 0.011). The median postoperative hospital stay in the intervention group was shortened by 1 day (3.0 days vs. 4.0 days, p < 0.001). Ultrasound monitoring technology revealed significant improvements in the cross-sectional area and volume of the antrum, but both remained below the safety threshold of 1.5 mL/kg. No complications such as aspiration, reflux, or aspiration pneumonia were observed throughout the observation period.

Early oral rehydration under gastric ultrasound monitoring can safely and effectively improve the postoperative recovery quality of patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia, relieve thirst, promote gastrointestinal function recovery, reduce the incidence of PONV, and shorten hospital stay. It is a perioperative management strategy with clinical promotion value.

This study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry https://www.chictr.org.cn/bin/project/edit?pid=264130; ChiCTR2500099155.