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Shorter preoperative fluid fasts reduce postoperative emesis

BMJ 1997; 314 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.314.7092.1486a (Published 17 May 1997) Cite this as: BMJ 1997;314:1486
  1. A F Smith, Senior registrar in anaesthesiaa,
  2. H Vallance, Senior registrar in anaesthesiaa,
  3. R M Slater, Consultant anaesthetista
  1. a Department of Anaesthesia, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester M13 9WL

    Editor—We support the recommendations on preoperative fasting offered by S M Greenfield and colleagues.1 Not only are fasting times far longer even than is traditionally thought necessary but reducing the fluid fast, as they advocate, seems to benefit patients after anaesthesia too.

    We audited fasting times and postoperative emesis in inpatients having elective gynaecological surgery after some members of our department became concerned that shortening the preoperative fluid fast would make postoperative emesis more likely. Data were collected …

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