Fasting prior to surgery is essential to guard against aspiration during intubation and extubation due to decreased gag reflexes.
| Last Oral Intake | Time Prior to Surgery |
|---|---|
| Clear liquids (water, fruit juice w/out pulp, soda pop, clear tea, black coffee) | 2 hr |
| Breast milk | 4 hr |
| Infant formula | 6 hr |
| Nonhuman milk | 6 hr |
| Solids (light meal—plain toast + clear liquids) | 6 hr |
| Solids (fried foods, fatty foods, or meat) | 8 or more hr |
Source: American Society of Anesthesiologists. (2017). Anesthesiology, 126(3):376.