Information

In preparation for your anaesthetic, you will be asked to refrain from eating and drinking (fasting) for a period of time. This is known as the fasting period.

It is important to fast before surgery to ensure you have an empty stomach. Otherwise, you are at risk of fluid or food refluxing into your oesophagus and into your lungs. This is called aspiration and can be a life-threatening complication of general anaesthesia.

Standard fasting times are suitable for most people and operations. However, new diabetic and weight loss medications work by slowing stomach emptying and require a longer period of fasting.

The following are guidelines only. If you have specific questions or circumstances, please contact your specialist anaesthetist and follow their directions.

Standard Fasting for Adults having elective surgery

• Do not eat food (light meal) or drink – 6 hours prior to surgery
• However, small sips of a clear fluid (up to 150mLs per hour) are encouraged until 2 hours prior to surgery.
• For example: if your surgery is scheduled for 8am, you should be fasting from 2am, but can sip clear fluids until 6am.
• If you have surgery schedule at 2pm, you can eat a light breakfast being finished at 8am, and then take sips of clear fluid until midday.

Sip to send

• In some hospitals small sips of a clear fluid are allowed right up until theatre. If your procedure is in one of these hospitals, you may be encouraged to participate and provided with more detailed information. For some patients this practice will be unsuitable, please follow the advice of your anaesthetist.

Clear fluid refers to any liquid that does not contain visible particles and can be seen through when held up to light. 

• Permitted:Water, pulp-free fruit juices, clear cordials, black tea, and black coffee without milk. 
• Not Permitted:Milk, milk-based drinks, cloudy fruit juices, alcohol, and any liquids with pulp or particles. 

Adults taking injectable weight loss or diabetic medications (excluding insulin).

These drugs include Saxenda, Victoza, Trulicity, Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro (Liraglutide; Dulaglutide; Semaglutide; Tirzepatide) and require a 24-hour clear fluid diet followed by standard 6 hour fasting.

• Food - 24 hours prior to surgery
• Clear fluids - 6 hours prior to surgery

Healthy Children over 12 months of age having elective surgery last ingestion of

• Solids/formula - 6 hours prior to surgery
• Breast milk – 3 hours prior to surgery
• Clear fluids (up to 3mLs/kg/hour) - 1 hour prior to surgery

Healthy children under 12 months of age having elective surgery last ingestion of

• Formula and non-human milk – 4 hours prior to surgery
• Breast milk - 3 hours prior to surgery
• Clear fluids (up to 3mLs/kg/hour) - 1 hour prior to surgery