[Significance of preoperative oral rehydration therapy]

Recently, European countries and US have issued the practice guidelines for preoperative fasting, and there is a trend of shortening the fating time before surgery. In Japan, some institutions have just started to use an oral rehydration therapy by oral rehydration solutions, which is effective in the treatment of mild to moderate dehydration, and in the preoperative water and electrolyte management. Besides shortening the fasting time, water and electrolytes can be adequately given to the patients by oral rehydration therapy Currently, this therapy is gaining a widespread attention, because it can improve patients' satisfaction for preoperative care and is also a safe and efficient medical treatment.