Abstract
An increasing number of hospitals have recently revised the duration of preoperative fasting and introduced oral carbohydrate loading just prior to surgery. Although our hospital has done the same, we have faced several problems related to these changes, and found it necessary to discuss in detail the definition of clear fluid, cases to be excluded, and specifics of the time period during which patients cannot drink before surgery. In addition, it is important to determine how to check the preoperative fasting instructions provided by the anesthesiology department so that, for example, patients with gastrointestinal obstruction are not allowed to drink anything. Finally, the method of instructing the patient when the carbohydrate loading drink is to be delivered as a meal remains to be determined. For effective introduction of oral carbohydrate loading just prior to surgery, these problems must be addressed.
