Surgery scheduled for 11a: can I have some black coffee & water in the morning? Will water really cause a problem hours later?

The simple answer to this question is to follow your surgeons instructions exactly, or risk having the surgery cancelled. Different surgeons and anesthesiologists have different theories on this question, but it all boils down to what your doctors want you to do.

There is controversy as to when people should begin fasting and abstaining from water the morning of surgery, but coffee is a bad idea. The rationale for not eating or drinking 8 hours before surgery is to ensure your stomach is empty and is not stimulated to produce acid and digestive enzymes. During anesthesia, if you vomit from nauseousness, aspiration pneumonia or worse can happen. A sip of water in the am is not a deal-breaker, but coffee would be because it stimulates too much acidity. Insofar as antibiotics are concerned, an intravenous dose just before surgery is the norm, rather than taking an oral antibiotic. Hope this helps! Dr Joseph

Most anesthesiologists recommend that you only have small sips of water, if needed, to take pills prior to surgery. The concern is that, if you have food or liquid in your stomach while under anesthesia, it could come up your esophagus and go down into your lungs.  If that were to happen, it could potentially be life threatening. 

You need to discuss this with your surgeon.  This is not an overly simple topic, even though it may seem that way.  Most anesthesiologists would recommend no eating solids 8 hours before surgery and water within a couple of hours, but there are several caveats (diabetics stomaches often do not empty as quickly, etc).  They will be looking after your best interest and will postpone your case if their instructions are not followed.  The main reason is that you could reflux your stomach contents during anesthesia induction (this could include stomach acids and bile in additiion to whatever you injested) and this could enter your lungs since your normal reflexive/protective mechanisms are supressed by the anesthesia.  This can be very dangerous.  Listen to your surgeon.  Occasionally, the "NPO after midnight" is just a habit and exceptions can be made (maybe NPO after 3AM for someone having an 11AM surgery).  But follow your surgeon's instructions.  He may have reasons that are not initially obvious.  Similarly follow all his post operative instructions.

Hi I think the best course of action here is to be conservative and not have anything the morning of surgery. Be sure to discuss with your anesthesiologist and surgeon, but there is no sense in increasing the chances of aspiration of stomach contents during anesthesia induction if you are scheduled for elective surgery, by drinking the morning of your operation. Aspiration can result in pneumonia and other complications which can be serious in rare cases.

 In our practice, it is acceptable to drink water six hours prior to the induction of general anesthesia. So is best to check with your operative surgeon  and anesthesiologist. The reason for this is to prevent any stomach contents from potentially getting into your lungs if you are should have any nausea or vomiting  before,during or after the anesthetic.

If you eat or drink a certain number of hours before surgery you are at higher risk for aspiration. Aspiration is a very serious complication that can require a long, difficult recovery and can be life threatening. I would be compliant with the recommendations of your surgeon, anesthesiologist, and surgery center.

All the anesthesiologists I work with say no food or liquids for 6 hours prior to surgery.  We tell our patients nothing to eat or drink after midnight the night before surgery.  A small sip of water to take medication would be okay however, nothing more than that.Best of luck,Dr. Peter Newen

Dear I love Flowers, The typical rule is (NPO) no food or liquids for 8 hours except perhaps a sip of water to take necessary medications. For our patients who drink a lot of caffeine the anesthesiologist may put caffeine in the IV to avoid a caffeine headache upon waking or having something to sip like coca-cola ready in recovery to avoid a caffeine headache. In patient's who have a later surgery schedule time like yours at 11:00am then the NPO order may be moved from midnight to 8 hours prior to surgery. So in your instance we may allow your last fluids at 3:00am. Sometimes patient's will prefer to do this while  others may want to sleep through the night and are not concerned. This is something that should be discussed with your surgeons office for further instructions. Often times the standard order of nothing after midnight goes out however exceptions may be made. Best regards, Michael V. Elam, M.D.

All the anesthesiologists I work with say no food or liquids for 6 hours prior to surgery, other than a few small sips of water with meds.