Abstract
SummaryBackground & aimsInternational guidance advocates the avoidance of prolonged preoperative fasting due to its negative impact on perioperative hydration. This study aimed to assess the adherence to these guidelines for fasting in patients undergoing elective and emergency surgery in the East Midlands region of the UK.MethodsThis prospective audit was performed over a two-month period at five National Health Service (NHS) Trusts across the East Midlands region of the UK. Demographic data, admission and operative details, and length of preoperative fasting were collected on adult patients listed for emergency and elective surgery.ResultsOf the 343 surgical patients included within the study, 50% (n = 172) were male, 78% (n = 266) had elective surgery and 22% (n = 77) underwent emergency surgery. Overall median fasting times (Q1, Q3) were 16.1 (13.0, 19.4) hours for food and 5.8 (3.5, 10.7) hours for clear fluids. Prolonged fasting >12 h was documented in 73% (n = 250) for food, and 21% (n = 71) for clear fluids. Median fasting times from clear fluids and food were longer in the those undergoing emergency surgery when compared with those undergoing elective surgery: 13.0 (6.4, 22.6) vs. 4.9 (3.3, 7.8) hours, and 22.0 (14.0, 37.4) vs. 15.6 (12.9, 17.8) hours respectively, p < 0.0001.ConclusionsDespite international consensus on the duration of preoperative fasting, patients continue to fast from clear fluids and food for prolonged lengths of time. Patients admitted for emergency surgery were more likely to fast for longer than those having elective surgery.
Highlights
Patients have been kept ‘nil-by-mouth’ for 12e24 h prior to elective surgical procedures in order to mitigate the risk of vomiting and aspiration at the time of induction of anaesthesia [1]
There is evidence supporting the benefits of shorter preoperative fasting times whilst maintaining a low risk of aspiration during induction of anaesthesia [2e4]
The median (Q1, Q3) perceived allowed fasting times reported by the patients were 11.2 (8.0, 18.8) hours for food and 5.7 (3.2, 9.0) hours for clear fluids
Summary
Patients have been kept ‘nil-by-mouth’ for 12e24 h prior to elective surgical procedures in order to mitigate the risk of vomiting and aspiration at the time of induction of anaesthesia [1]. There is evidence supporting the benefits of shorter preoperative fasting times whilst maintaining a low risk of aspiration during induction of anaesthesia [2e4] This is supported by human physiology studies demonstrating that clear liquids are emptied from the stomach within 2 h after ingestion with an approximate gastric emptying time of 4 h for food, depending on the type and quantity ingested [5e7]. Median fasting times from clear fluids and food were longer in the those undergoing emergency surgery when compared with those undergoing elective surgery: 13.0 (6.4, 22.6) vs 4.9 (3.3, 7.8) hours, and 22.0 (14.0, 37.4) vs 15.6 (12.9, 17.8) hours respectively, p < 0.0001.
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