Mendelson described aspiration of gastric contents with the gastric acid causing a chemical pneumonitis.
Patient selection: aspiration of gastric contents
Factors affecting outcome:
(1) volume of gastric contents aspirated
(2) amount of bacteria in the aspirated material
(3) ingested chemicals (primarily in people who drink a pesticide or other chemical then vomit)
(4) food and other content in the gasric contents
(5) health status of the patient
(6) healthcare response such as bronchoalveolar lavage
Complications:
(1) pulmonary edema
(2) bacterial pneumonia, which may be complicated by abscess, sepsis and empyema
(3) acute respiratory distress syndrome which may progress to respiratory failure
(4) hypotension and shock
(5) airway obstruction
(6) bronchopleural fistula
