Investigation of Preoperative Fasting Times in Children
Insights
Children undergoing surgery often experienced prolonged preoperative fasting periods, exceeding recommended guidelines. Many young patients reported hunger and thirst before their procedures, indicating potential discomfort and non-compliance with fasting protocols.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Anesthesiology
- Clinical Nutrition
Background:
- Preoperative fasting is crucial for patient safety during anesthesia.
- Adherence to fasting guidelines minimizes risks like aspiration.
- Pediatric patients may have unique physiological responses to fasting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the duration of preoperative fasting in pediatric surgical patients.
- To assess patient and family awareness of preoperative nutrition guidelines.
- To identify potential deviations from recommended fasting times.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, descriptive study design.
- Inclusion of 332 pediatric patients undergoing surgery with general anesthesia.
- Data collection via interviews using a 28-item researcher-developed questionnaire.
Main Results:
- Average fasting times varied by diet type, with some exceeding 12 hours.
- A significant percentage of children (0-3 years) reported hunger (65.6%) and thirst (58.9%).
- Children over 3 years also reported hunger (55.2%) and thirst (58.0%).
Conclusions:
- Pediatric preoperative fasting times in this cohort were longer than current guidelines recommend.
- The findings highlight a need for improved adherence to and understanding of preoperative fasting protocols in pediatric surgery.
- Increased hunger and thirst in fasting children suggest potential patient discomfort and non-compliance.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to investigate preoperative fasting times of children.
Design:
A prospective and descriptive design was used.
Methods:
The study was carried out in the pediatric surgery departments of a University Faculty of Medicine Hospital, between January 1 and May 31, 2012. The sample included 332 pediatric patients having surgery with general anesthesia and their family. Data were collected via patient and family interview using a 28-item questionnaire developed by the researchers.
Findings:
29.2% of the sample was between the age of 1 and 3 years, of which 68.1% were male. 82.5% had day surgery. 94.9% of families were informed about the operation and 97.6% about nutrition before the operation. The children were fed an average of 10.51 hours before the operation (n = 203) with clear liquids, 6.27 hours (n = 52) with breast milk, 9.9 hours (n = 107) with baby food or cow's milk, 11.22 hours (n = 100) with toast and other, and 12.25 hours (n = 106) with daily food. About 65.6% of children between the years 0 and 3 (n = 151) declared being hungry when they were going to surgery, and 58.9% said that they were thirsty. Of the children older than 3 years (n = 181), 55.2% were hungry and 58.0% were thirsty.
Conclusions:
Results indicate that patients' preoperative fasting times were longer than recommended by current guidelines.
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