To reduce the risk of food or fluid in the stomach being inhaled into your lungs whilst unconscious, it is important that you follow the fasting guidelines.

For a morning procedure, no food (including chewing gum) should be taken after midnight. You can continue to have clear fluids, e.g. water or diluted squash, until 5am on the morning of surgery.

For an afternoon procedure you may have an early light breakfast before 6am. No food (including chewing gum) should be taken thereafter. You can continue to have clear fluids, e.g. water or diluted squash, until 11am on the day of surgery.

Many medications are safe to take on the day of surgery with a small sip of water. Some medications like blood-thinners (Aspirin, Warfarin, Clopidogrel) and Anti-diabetics should be stopped or modified before the operation. It is always advisable to contact your Surgeon or Anaesthetist to discuss this.

We recommend stopping all Herbal and non-prescription medication prior to surgery.

The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCOA) advises smokers undergoing surgery to quit a minimum of six weeks before a surgery. However, stopping smoking at any time prior to surgery is likely to be beneficial.

RCOA considers quitting smoking to be essential before undergoing surgery, as there is strong evidence that smokers who undergo anaesthesia and surgery have a higher risk of heart and lung complications, wound infections, poor wound healing, intensive care admission and longer hospital stay.  

Chewing gum stimulates salivation and can increase gastric fluid volume or acidity. Hence we recommend that patients should abstain from chewing gum for 6 hrs before anaesthesia and surgery.