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Fasting before Anaesthesia and Sedation
Following the below recommendations prior to your surgery is essential for your safety.
Morning procedure
- No food after midnight
- May drink water or clear apple juice overnight
- No more than 200ml each hour until 6:00am
- Take all usual morning tablets 6:00am unless told not to take
Afternoon procedure
- No food after 7:00am
- May drink water or clear apple juice until 11:00am – no more than 200ml each hour
- Take all usual tablets at normal time, unless told not to take
Surgery scheduled more than 2 hours after admission
Individual anaesthetists may offer further clear fluid or clear apple juice orally
- clear fluid = water or clear apple juice only
- limit no more than 200ml per hour
Infants under 6 months
- Formula stopped 4 hours prior to surgery
- Breast milk stopped 3 hours prior to surgery
- Clear fluids stopped 2 hours prior to surgery
Children 6 months – 2 years old
- Breast milk, cows milk, all other formulas and solid food should be stopped 6 hours prior to surgery
- Clear fluids (water or clear apple juice) stopped 2 hours prior to surgery
Children over 2 years old
Your child should have solid food 6 hours prior to surgery and be encouraged to have water or clear apple juice until 2 hours prior to surgery.
Individual anaesthetists may offer further clear fluid orally
- clear fluid = water or clear apple juice only
- limit 50ml / hour
Diabetics – insulin dependent or tablets
You can have clear sugar drinks (e.g. apple juice) prior to your hospital admission, as per the fasting instructions above, if you feel your blood sugar is too low.
Please see the diabetic information sheet for information regarding medications.