Why can't you eat before surgery?

Question

As if surgery isn't stressful enough, why do doctors add to the stress and discomfort by making you starve yourself a full day ahead of time?

Answer 1

Despite the unpleasantness of not having eaten, it is the safest for you. Are you not interested in a lifetime of health or a moment of uncomfort?
When you are either "falling asleep" or "emerging from sleep" you will not be able to protect yourself from breathing in vomitus. When fully alert you simply bend over the toilet to vomit. While sedated you will not have the where-with-all to protect yourself.
Breathing in stomach contents-even just stomach juice alone-can cause serious injury or death. Even in healthy young individuals.
Nausea is not our concern as anesthesiologists. Dying is.

Answer 2

The doctors and nurses don't mind cleaning up after themselves, but they don't need the added hassle of cleaning up any mess you might make as food or drink worked its way through your system. Also, if you were to throw up while under anesthesia, you could fill your lungs with nasties, and cause further problems.
It's better to follow your doctor's instructions and be safe.


After a surgery the doctor was the first person to talk with me as I regained consciousness. I remember saying to him was, "I'm starving. Can we get a pizza delivered here?" For some reason he just laughed.

You probably received pre-surgery instructions from your doctor or hospital. If not, this link is to some that are fairly typical. Although they may be a pain themselves, the instructions are for your safety and well being.

Answer 3

Funny you wouldn't know this: inhaled anesthesia causes nausea in most people, and usually begins as you are awakening. Apart from the unpleasantness of vomit in the recovery room, there is a chance that you would inhale some of it, causing pneumonia, since you could not be fully conscious....and staff just doesn't wish to have you get pneumonia on top of your surgery. This is why they will often just stabilize an accident victim from a car crash for several hours if they can, before beginning if they know that have eaten.....

Answer 4

YOU DONT NEED TO STARVE A FULL DAY. JUST NOTHING TO EAT OR DRINK AFTER MIDNIGHT THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR SURGERY. YOU MAY HAVE A FEW SIPS OF WATER IN THE A.M. BEFORE YOUR OPERATION. BUT ONLY ENOUGH TO FIX YOUR DRY MOUTH.
THE REASON IS: 1) YOU ARE BEING PUT UNDER ANESTHESIA WHICH MAY CAUSE YOU TO PUKE AFTERWARDS OR DURING. 2) WHICH COULD CAUSE YOU TO CHOKE DURING SUGERY.do ya really want that?3)YOU ARE MOST LIKELY GONNA HAVE A TUBE DOWN YOUR THROAT, WHICH CAN CAUSE A GAG REFLEXwhich causes puking which can lead to choking. do ya really want that?4)IT IS FOR YOUR SAFTEY AND NOT FOR YOUR MISERY. SO PLEASE RESPECT THE RULES OF YOUR SURGEON AND THE NURSES. IT IS DONE FOR A REASON. YOU WILL BE FED AND WATERED WHEN ITS ALL OVER. SO JUST APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE ARE LOOKING OUT FOR YOUR WELL BEING.
i AM A PRE AND POST OP NURSE AND MANY SURGERIES HAVE BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO PEOPLE NOT FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS. IF YOU EAT. YOUR SURGERY GETS CANCELLED. IN CASES OF EMERGENCY. THATS DIFFERENT ITS AN EMERGENCY!
MY ADVICE TO YOU IS TO EAT YOUR HEART OUT THE DAY BEFORE SURGERY UP TIL MIDNIGHT EVEN THEN STOP. GO TO BED, WAKE UP, TAKE YOUR SHOWER, BRUSH YOUR TEETH, TAKE ANY MEDICATION THAT YOU MAY EVEN NEED TO TAKE WITH A DRINK OF WATER. SMOKE A CIGARETTE IF THATS YOUR THING. THEN CHECK IN AT THE HOSPITAL AND LET US DO OUR JOB. BUT YOU MUST DO YOURS FIRST. DO NOT EAT AFTER MIDNIGHT AND ONLY A SIP OF WATER THROUGH THE NIGHT OR IN THE MORNING.

Answer 5

As everyone has stated....you really don't want to puke while you are being operated on. However if you have to eat...stop at McDonalds and only order things on the dollar menu. You will need the rest of your money to pay for the surgery.

Answer 6

we advise not eating food only in case u need general anesthetic...
as it puts u at a risk of aspiation of food during surgery..and subsequent death is also possble with aspiration..

u can eat any thing before taking sugery with spinal or local anesthesia..

is it enugh info!!

Answer 7

because u need to have an empty stomach bc food interacts w/the anesthesia. it can make u throw up after you come out from under the effects of it. my dad drank and ate before one of his surgeries, and found that out the hard way. they're not doing it to be sadistic, they're doing it bc they don't want u to get ill after they patch u up.