More expert evidence on Reeva’s ‘gastric contents’

Professor Christina Lundgren was called by Oscar Pistorius’s defence to give expert evidence on factors which influence gastric emptying.

The anaesthetist said it was not proven that a stomach emptied after four hours. She said there was consensus on gastric emptying after six hours of eating.

“About 10 percent of a low fat meal would remain in the stomach after four hours,” she said.

Factors including sleeping, exercise, anxiety and pain, smoking, and certain medication could delay gastric emptying.

She said the topic of gastric emptying was “not an exact science”.

Lundgren said Steenkamp’s last meal, chicken stir fry, could have delayed gastric emptying if it contained indigestible fibre.

She said it had also been said Steenkamp did some yoga before going to bed, which could also have delayed gastric emptying.

In April, Pistorius was unable to explain why there was still food in Steenkamp’s stomach when she died on the morning of February 14, 2013.

At the time, prosecutor Gerrie Nel suggested Steenkamp “must have eaten within two hours of her death”.

Pistorius insisted the couple ate around 7pm on February 13 and went to bed soon after. Steenkamp was killed at around 3am the following morning.

Pistorius has claimed he thought Steenkamp was an intruder when he shot her dead in his Pretoria home. He has been charged with murder.

Pistorius is also charged with three contraventions of the Firearms Control Act — one of illegal possession of ammunition and two of discharging a firearm in public.

He has denied guilt on all charges.

– Sapa