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Pre‐operative fasting for paediatric anaesthesia A survey of current practice
Author(s) -
Emerson B. M.,
Wrigley S. R.,
Newton M.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2044.1998.00317.x
Subject(s) - medicine , preoperative fasting , audit , breast milk , general anaesthesia , pediatrics , anesthesia , perioperative , biochemistry , chemistry , management , economics
There has recently been much debate about pre‐operative fasting for paediatric anaesthesia. There is no consensus about the optimum fasting times for children undergoing elective surgery. In order to establish a standard for paediatric pre‐operative fasting times, we undertook a postal survey, targeting members of the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists resident in the United Kingdom and Ireland in 1995. One hundred and sixty‐three questionnaires were despatched, 131 (80%) were returned and 110 (67%) were complete. The results show that the following guidelines for duration of fast are acceptable to the majority of respondents — neonates: 2 h for clear fluids, 4 h for breast and formula milk; infants: 2 h for clear fluids, 4 h for breast milk, 6 h for formula milk and solids; children: 2 h for clear fluids, 6 h for milk and solids. We suggest that these times be used as guidelines and audited for pre‐operative fasting in paediatric anaesthesia.