Your Diet and Preparing for Surgery

Adult Patients
Pediatric Patients
Download Guidelines in English or Spanish (pdf)

Preoperative Fasting Guidelines - Adults

The presurgical diet guidelines below are for general purposes only. Your physician or surgeon may require you to follow an alternative plan. In that case, follow your physician's instructions rather than the guidelines below.

Fourteen Days Prior to Surgery

Stop all nutritional and herbal supplements (vitamins/minerals/herbals)
EXCEPTIONS – the following are okay to continue: calcium, iron & vitamin D

The Day Before Surgery

Follow your regular diet
Do not eat any solid food after midnight (CLEAR FLUIDS ONLY after midnight)

Day of Surgery

If instructed, drink carbohydrate-rich drink (ENSURE CLEAR®, 6.8 oz) 3 hours before procedure
Take clear fluids only up to 3 hours before surgery or up until arrival at the Hospital.
Do not eat or drink anything after arriving at the hospital.

Clear Fluid Diet (Any Meal)

Allowed:

Water
Apple, Cranberry & Grape Juice
Gatorade
Black Coffee or Tea
Clear Broth
Ginger ale and Seltzer
Jello and Italian Ice
Ensure Clear® – (IF instructed)

Not Allowed:

Milk or Dairy Products (including in coffee and tea)
Citrus Juices
Prune Juice
Juices with Pulp
Any food or beverage not listed in the "allowed" column

Preoperative Fasting Guidelines - Pediatrics

Eat a light dinner the day before surgery.

Type of Food
Clear liquids (water, fruit juices without pulp, carbonated beverages, clear tea, black coffee)
Breast milk
Infant formula
Non-human milk (cow milk, soy milk, etc.)
Solid meal

Minimum Time Before Surgery
Allowed up to 3 hours before surgery

Allowed up to 3 hours before surgery
Allowed up to 6 hours before surgery
Allowed up to 6 hours before surgery
Allowed up to 8 hours before surgery

Updated: 8/1/2016