What is Preoperative Patient Protocol?

In general, Preoperative Patient Protocol is the standard "nothing by mouth after midnight". This is not an unreasonable starting place for patient instruction. Long experience with room air, spontaneous ventilation, office based anesthesia has led to several modifications of this old instruction.

1. Patients taking anti-hypertensives, anti-depressants, beta blockers, asthma medications or oral hypoglycemic agents should maintain their usual morning dosage with enough water to comfortably get their medications down. Asthmatics should bring their inhalers with them to surgery.

2. Patients who regularly consume caffeinated beverages who experience headache without the usual morning caffeine dose are encouraged to have their usual morning dose of caffeine WITHOUT any dairy product. Nondairy creamers are acceptable if needed.

3. Patients who are very hungry upon awakening may have toast and jam and/or apple juice if so desired.

4. Patients who are scheduled for afternoon surgery may have a light breakfast not closer than four hours prior to their surgery. Again "light" means NO DAIRY PRODUCTS (i.e. milk, cream, butter, yogurt, or cheese)