Pre Anaesthetic Instructions
Fasting
Your safety is central to everything we do. As such, we want to ensure that you have not eaten or drunk anything prior to your surgery as specified below. The rationale for pre-operative fasting is that all sedative and anaesthetic drugs will impair the protective reflexes that prevent stomach contents from being regurgitated into your lungs (“aspiration”). Aspiration can cause very serious illness, and one of the ways we minimise this risk is to ensure you are appropriately fasted.
Adults: all food and fluids should be stopped 6 hours prior to your admission time (including sweets, chewing gum and ice blocks) unless you have been otherwise instructed. If you see your Anaesthetist pre-operatively at a Clinic in the rooms you may be given slightly different instructions and these should be closely followed.
Children: please contact your anaesthetist for fasting instructions
Medications
Most regular medications should be taken on the day of surgery with a sip of water if necessary.
You should contact your anaesthetist for advice regarding the following medications:
- Insulin
- Diabetes medications
- Warfarin
- Aspirin should be stopped 10 days prior to surgery
Pacemakers Or Implantable Defibrillators
Please advise your Anaesthetist well in advance if you have a pacemaker or defibrillator. It is generally necessary to make arrangements with the device technician to have the implant deactivated for the duration of the surgery.
Fingernails – Painted, Acrylic Or Gel
Please contact your Anaesthetist for advise as to whether you should remove any nail polish, false nails etc.
