Preoperative fasting times: Prescribed and actual fasting times at Universitas Hospital Annex, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Background. Guidelines recommend a preoperative fasting period of 6 hours for solid food and 2 hours for clear fluids. Because of fixed meal times and imprecise operation starting times, patients often fast for an extended period of time. Objective. To investigate the prescribed preoperative fastin...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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South African Medical Association
2017-10-01
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| Series: | South African Medical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/view/12070 |
| _version_ | 1797331144084029440 |
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| author | G Lamacraft C Labuschagne S Pretorius M C Prinsloo M D Smit J-R Steyn |
| author_facet | G Lamacraft C Labuschagne S Pretorius M C Prinsloo M D Smit J-R Steyn |
| author_sort | G Lamacraft |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. Guidelines recommend a preoperative fasting period of 6 hours for solid food and 2 hours for clear fluids. Because of fixed meal times and imprecise operation starting times, patients often fast for an extended period of time.
Objective. To investigate the prescribed preoperative fasting times, and the actual duration of fasting, compared with the internationally accepted fasting times for solid food and clear fluids.
Methods. Patients (N=105) aged 14 - 60 years, who were scheduled for elective surgery in the morning session (list starting time 07h00), were included in this prospective study. On arrival in theatre, all patients were asked when they last ate and drank. Anaesthetic records were used to determine the prescribed fasting times and operation starting times.
Results. For solids, patients were most frequently prescribed to start fasting from 22h00 to 00h00 (53.3% and 39.1%, respectively). No patient fasted <8 hours. The median duration of fasting was 14 hours and 45 minutes (range 9 hours and 45 minutes - 19 hours and 5 minutes). For fluids, patients were most frequently prescribed to start fasting from 05h00 (46.7%), 00h00 (27.6%) and 22h00 (7.6%). In practice, no patient ingested fluids after 22h30 or <9 hours preoperatively. The median fasting time for oral fluids was 13 hours and 25 minutes (range 9 hours and 37 minutes - 19 hours and 5 minutes).
Conclusion. Most patients started fasting too early preoperatively, consequently withholding food and oral fluids for longer than recommended. An increased awareness regarding complications of unnecessarily long fasting times, and interventions to correct this problem, is required. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T07:30:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8bf5b7bdf1a64acc8953ece2f2eaa0f0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0256-9574 2078-5135 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T07:30:16Z |
| publishDate | 2017-10-01 |
| publisher | South African Medical Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-8bf5b7bdf1a64acc8953ece2f2eaa0f02024-02-02T20:46:30ZengSouth African Medical AssociationSouth African Medical Journal0256-95742078-51352017-10-011071091091410.7196/SAMJ.2017.v107i10.10930Preoperative fasting times: Prescribed and actual fasting times at Universitas Hospital Annex, Bloemfontein, South AfricaG Lamacraft0C Labuschagne1S Pretorius2M C Prinsloo3M D Smit4J-R Steyn5Department of Anaesthesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South AfricaSchool of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South AfricaSchool of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South AfricaSchool of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South AfricaSchool of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South AfricaSchool of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South AfricaBackground. Guidelines recommend a preoperative fasting period of 6 hours for solid food and 2 hours for clear fluids. Because of fixed meal times and imprecise operation starting times, patients often fast for an extended period of time. Objective. To investigate the prescribed preoperative fasting times, and the actual duration of fasting, compared with the internationally accepted fasting times for solid food and clear fluids. Methods. Patients (N=105) aged 14 - 60 years, who were scheduled for elective surgery in the morning session (list starting time 07h00), were included in this prospective study. On arrival in theatre, all patients were asked when they last ate and drank. Anaesthetic records were used to determine the prescribed fasting times and operation starting times. Results. For solids, patients were most frequently prescribed to start fasting from 22h00 to 00h00 (53.3% and 39.1%, respectively). No patient fasted <8 hours. The median duration of fasting was 14 hours and 45 minutes (range 9 hours and 45 minutes - 19 hours and 5 minutes). For fluids, patients were most frequently prescribed to start fasting from 05h00 (46.7%), 00h00 (27.6%) and 22h00 (7.6%). In practice, no patient ingested fluids after 22h30 or <9 hours preoperatively. The median fasting time for oral fluids was 13 hours and 25 minutes (range 9 hours and 37 minutes - 19 hours and 5 minutes). Conclusion. Most patients started fasting too early preoperatively, consequently withholding food and oral fluids for longer than recommended. An increased awareness regarding complications of unnecessarily long fasting times, and interventions to correct this problem, is required.http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/view/12070Universitas Hospital AnnexBloemfonteinPreoperativeFasting time |
| spellingShingle | G Lamacraft C Labuschagne S Pretorius M C Prinsloo M D Smit J-R Steyn Preoperative fasting times: Prescribed and actual fasting times at Universitas Hospital Annex, Bloemfontein, South Africa South African Medical Journal Universitas Hospital Annex Bloemfontein Preoperative Fasting time |
| title | Preoperative fasting times: Prescribed and actual fasting times at Universitas Hospital Annex, Bloemfontein, South Africa |
| title_full | Preoperative fasting times: Prescribed and actual fasting times at Universitas Hospital Annex, Bloemfontein, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Preoperative fasting times: Prescribed and actual fasting times at Universitas Hospital Annex, Bloemfontein, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Preoperative fasting times: Prescribed and actual fasting times at Universitas Hospital Annex, Bloemfontein, South Africa |
| title_short | Preoperative fasting times: Prescribed and actual fasting times at Universitas Hospital Annex, Bloemfontein, South Africa |
| title_sort | preoperative fasting times prescribed and actual fasting times at universitas hospital annex bloemfontein south africa |
| topic | Universitas Hospital Annex Bloemfontein Preoperative Fasting time |
| url | http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/view/12070 |
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