What would the surgeon do if?

Question

he told you not to eat or drink 8 hours before surgery and you came in and told him you had just eaten? would he really give you an e***a before the surgery

Answer 1

Actually, both the upper GI tract and the intestines might be an issue if you were having surgery on your bowel--it's standard to require a "bowel prep" before they operate on the intestines, because if they have to cut into the bowel they try to make sure it is cleared out first.  Less fecal matter = less possiblility of contamination of the sterile abdominal cavity during surgery.

But the PP is right--the immediate concern is that you have nothing in your stomach that you could vomit and aspirate.  Obviously, for emergency surgery, they don't always have the luxury of asking you to take nothing by mouth for a certain time, so it can be done, but they prefer not to.  They would probably postpone your surgery unless it was becoming emergent.

Answer 2

He isn't worried so much about the colon.  They are trying to make sure the stomach and the upper GI tract are clear.  You might not be able to have the surgery if you don't obey the order.  Don't worry though.  I'm sure you would have to pay him anyway.