INGESTION OF CLEAR FLUIDS IS SAFE FOR ADOLESCENTS UP TO 3 H BEFORE ANAESTHESIA

We have studied the effect of ingestion of unlimited clear fluids by adolescents up to 3 h before anaesthesia to determine the effect this fluid ingestion would have on thirst, hunger and gastric contents at induction of anaesthesia. We studied prospectively 152 adolescents (ages 13–19 yr) undergoin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of anaesthesia : BJA 1991-01, Vol.66 (1), p.48-52
Main Authors: SPLINTER, W.M., SCHAEFER, J.D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Anaesthesia: general
Anesthesia
Anesthesia depending on patient's condition
Anesthesia, General
Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy
Biological and medical sciences
Drinking - physiology
Fasting - physiology
Gastric Acidity Determination
gastric pH
Gastrointestinal Contents
Gastrointestinal tract: gastric fluid volume
Humans
Hunger - physiology
Medical sciences
Preoperative Care
preoperative fluids
Prospective Studies
Thirst - physiology
Time Factors
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Summary:We have studied the effect of ingestion of unlimited clear fluids by adolescents up to 3 h before anaesthesia to determine the effect this fluid ingestion would have on thirst, hunger and gastric contents at induction of anaesthesia. We studied prospectively 152 adolescents (ages 13–19 yr) undergoing elective surgery. Fifty percent of the patients had nothing by mouth after midnight. The other 50% were instructed to ingest unlimited clear fluids up to 3 h before surgery. On arrival in the operating room, subjects were asked to assess thirst and hunger with a linear analogue scale of 0–10 (O corresponding to no thirst or no hunger). After induction of anaesthesia, gastric contents were aspirated via a 16-French gauge orogastric tube. Gastric fluid volume (GV) was measured with a syringe and gastric pH (GpH) was assessed with Merck pH strips. GV, GpH and subject hunger were unaffected by ingestion of clear fluids. Subject thirst was reduced by clear fluids. It is concluded that unlimited clear fluid ingestion by healthy adolescents up to 3 h before operation decreases thirst and does not affect gastric contents.
ISSN:0007-0912
1471-6771
DOI:10.1093/bja/66.1.48