Think Drink! Current Fasting Guidelines Are Outdated

(Abstracted from Br J Anaesth, 118(3):291–293, 2017) This editorial reviews current fasting guidelines and the benefits of allowing patients clear liquid intake up to 2 hours before surgery in the context of the findings of the articles by Chauvin et al.1 and van de Putte et al.2 in the current issue of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. When under anesthesia, pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents occurs in 1:900 to 1:10,000 adults and in 2:10,000 children, although it is more frequent during emergency surgeries.
Source: Survey of Anesthesiology - Category: Anesthesiology Tags: General Anesthesia Source Type: research