Complications

Complication
Timeframe
Likelihood
short term
medium

One quarter of patients with aspiration of gastric contents develop expanding infiltrates, probably because of superimposed bacterial infection, which should be treated with antibiotics that cover for gram-negative bacteria and gram-positive cocci.[48][77]

Aspiration pneumonia

short term
low

May be a complication of pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents. About 12% die, usually shortly after the aspiration.[77]

Acute respiratory distress syndrome

long term
low

Mild fibrotic changes have been described on high-resolution computed tomography scans of the chest 1 year after barium aspiration.[108]

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