Fasting
The reason for surgery determines its urgency and influences anaesthetic technique. This includes acceptable starvation periods.
Question: Why is it important to fast prior to elective surgery (category 3 and 4)?
The reason for surgery determines its urgency and influences anaesthetic technique. This includes acceptable starvation periods.
Question: Why is it important to fast prior to elective surgery (category 3 and 4)?
Answer: It is important to fast prior to elective
surgery
(category 3 and 4) because under anaesthesia patients
cannot protect their own airway and are therefore at risk of aspiration
of gastric contents. This can result in substantial morbidity or death
due to:
- Physical blockage of airway by food particles
- Pneumonitis caused by gastric acid
Fasting before anaesthesia aims to reduce the volume of gastric contents and the risk of harm from aspiration.