for ASC and HOPD
sedation cases, i follow the guidelines. this keeps you in line with those posted all throughout the web, cochrane database, guideline.gov. (
http://www.guideline.gov/content.aspx?id=34402 ).
for
local cases, not following the guidelines is reasonable, but i would not recommend doing that for ASC cases, but for the reasons
not related to guidelines.
first, gastric fullness from a Tremendous 12 or even a Fabulous 5 may prevent a patient from lying flat on their stomach for the procedure. additionally, an odiferous eructation can adversely affect the staff's ability to complete the procedure in question. and yes, i have had at least 3 local cases that i cancelled because of the above, in the past 3 years.
second, you are in an area where everyone else is having actual surgery. I treat the
ASC cases like surgery, not like an office based injection (and patients are paying for "surgery", not a simple shot by the doc in some dingy office). and i dont like having to field questions from other patients why their next door neighbor can eat whatever they like while they have to be NPO.
i let them drink as much as they like, clear liquids, after midnight, but no solid food for at least 6 hours before procedure, so that there is no concern.