Judith from Toronto asks,
I’m getting breast augmentation and I’ve been told not to eat anything the night before surgery. Why is this?
Dr. Yaz says
Any surgery involving the administration of anesthesia requires patients to avoid eating food the night before the day of surgery. Usually, it is advised that no food is consumed after midnight. It is vital that this advice be followed, as it could be a matter of life or death.
During surgery, a patient may bring up undigested food. The vomit may not be totally expelled through the mouth and can be breathed in, resulting in Aspiration Pneumonia. Aspiration Pneumonia occurs when the lungs and bronchial tubes become inflamed or infected by foreign matter. Oxgyen is prevented from entering the body, leading to suffocation.
As a result, not eating anything after midnight is one of the most important things to follow when preparing for any surgery. It is also highly recommended that the food you do eat before midnight is light so it doesn’t sit in your stomach.
