Why Fasting Before Surgery Matters for Anesthesia Safety

Patients are often asked to stop eating and drinking before surgery. Far from being a routine formality, fasting is an important precaution that helps make anesthesia safer.

Under general anesthesia, the body’s normal protective reflexes are reduced. This can allow stomach contents to flow back up and enter the lungs, a complication known as aspiration.

Aspiration can cause serious breathing problems and lung injury. Keeping the stomach as empty as possible helps reduce that risk during a procedure.

Fasting instructions are not necessarily the same for food and drinks. The timing can vary depending on what a patient has consumed, the planned procedure and their medical needs, so patients should follow the instructions provided by their surgical or anesthesia team.

Anyone who eats or drinks during the prescribed fasting period should tell the medical team before surgery. That information allows clinicians to assess the risk and decide whether the procedure can safely go ahead.