Why do you need to fast before a minor surgery?

There is a scene in a Hong Kong drama that I still remember vividly. A little boy was going to have a hernia repair surgery. The doctor repeatedly asked the boy and his mother if they had eaten before the surgery. The anesthesiologist reiterated that the fasting time should not be less than 6 hours. The mother denied that the child had eaten, and the boy concealed the fact that he had eaten secretly. Unexpectedly, a major accident occurred during the surgery.

Why is fasting required for elective surgery?

After surgical anesthesia, the muscles of the esophagus and gastric cardia relax, and the protective cough reflex weakens or disappears, which makes it easy for gastric contents to reflux into the lungs and cause pulmonary aspiration. Once the refluxed material mistakenly enters the respiratory tract, it is easy to cause respiratory obstruction, aspiration pneumonia, and even life-threatening.

Is it better to fast longer before surgery?

We are all foodies. If we do not eat or drink water for a long time, we are prone to dry mouth, hunger, anxiety and irritability, which will increase the risk of postoperative blood sugar increase and postoperative complications.

Therefore, fasting should be done scientifically! The 2023 ASA fasting guidelines recommend that healthy patients undergoing elective surgery can refer to the "620" principle, that is, fasting for 6 hours, no water for 2 hours, and "0" pipes before surgery. It should be noted that the time it takes for dairy products such as milk to empty from the stomach is equivalent to that of solid food, so fasting for 6 hours is also required. Fatty solid foods, whose main components are fat and protein, take at least 8 hours to empty from the stomach, so fasting for at least 8 hours before anesthesia is required.

Not all surgical populations are suitable for the “620” principle !

Therefore, the best way is to listen to the medical staff, put away snacks, fruits, etc. before elective surgery, keep them out of sight, and manage fasting time. If you eat before surgery, you must tell the medical staff the truth to ensure the safety of the surgery!