Sparn MB, Widmann B, Pietsch U, et al. - Researchers undertook this exact matched and weighted case-control study to determine risk factors for postoperative aspiration pneumonia in general and abdominal surgery patients. They analyzed patients receiving surgery between January 2012 and December 2018. Of 23,647 patients undergoing 32,901 operations, there were 144 cases of postoperative aspiration pneumonia. Emergency surgery in patients with prolonged preoperative fasting (>6 hours), older age with increasing risk in octogenarians vs seniors, American Society of Anesthesiologists scores >II, and body mass index <18 kg/m ² , all were revealed as major risk factors for postoperative aspiration pneumonia. Thus, older patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists scores ≥III undergoing open surgery should be regarded as a priority population for prophylactic measures to decrease postoperative aspiration pneumonia. Increased attention should be given to cachectic patients and patients receiving emergency surgery with prolonged preoperative fasting. A lower risk for postoperative aspiration pneumonia was observed in relation to laparoscopy, and this procedure should be preferred whenever suitable.