Paediatric Anesthesia

Paediatric
Anesthesia

  

• Ferrari
  LR, Rooney FM, Rockoff MA
  
  
  Preoperative Fasting Practices in Pediatrics
  
  Anesthesiology 90: 978-980, 1999
  
  
    
  
  Preoperative
  fasting practices in pediatrics were studied in the
  major centres in Canada and USA.
  
    
  
  There
  were 44 responses [86%]. Ad lib injestion of clear
  liquids was permitted upto 2 hours prior to surgery
  in children younger than 6 months in 64% of the
  hospitals, and in children 6 months or older in 48%
  of the hospitals. One
  hospital limited the amount of fluid injested to 8
  ounces only.
  Injestion of breast milk was permitted upto 4 hours
  before surgery in all children. In children under 6
  months 39% permitted the same upto 6 hours before
  anesthesia.  50%
  of the hospitals permitted injestion of formula upto
  6 hours before
  anesthesia in children 6 months or older.
  50% of the hospitals allowed injestion of
  solid food upto 6 hours prior to surgery whereas the
  other 50% prohibited the same from midnight. Breast milk was considered a clear fluid by 36% of the hospitals, a
  solid by 34% and “something else” by the rest. Formula was considered as a solid food by 23%, not specified by 36%
  and not a solid or a clear fluid by 20%. In children
  younger than 6 months, solid food was restricted to
  at least 4 hours prior to anesthesia by 34% of
  anesthetists and from midnight by 32%.
  
     
  
  Thus
  there are no standard guidelines for fasting before
  anesthesia in the various hospitals.