Effect of different preoperative fasting time on safety and postoperative complications of painless gastrointestinal endoscopy for polyps in patients.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of different preoperative fasting time on safety and postoperative complications of painless gastrointestinal endoscopy for polyps in patients. METHODS Enrolled patients were assigned to an observation group and a control group by the random number table method (each n=68). Before operation, each patient in the observation group was fasted from solids for 6 h and from liquids for 2 h, while each one in the control group was fasted from solids for 8-12 h and from liquids for 4 h according to the conventional method. The levels of blood glucose, insulin, potassium and sodium in patients before and after operation were determined, and their hunger and thirst were recorded before anesthesia. Additionally, the incidences and degrees of vomiting and nausea among the patients after anesthesia and operation were recorded. RESULTS Before operation, the observation group showed higher levels of blood glucose, insulin, serum potassium and serum sodium than the control group (all P<0.001), while after operation, the observation group showed lower levels of blood glucose and insulin and higher levels of serum potassium and serum sodium than the control group (all P<0.001). In addition, the degrees and incidences of hunger and thirst in patients of the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group before operation (P<0.01), and the degrees and incidences of nausea and vomiting in the observation group were also notably lower than those in the control group before and after operation (both P<0.05). CONCLUSION For patients undergoing painless gastrointestinal endoscopy for polyps, shortening their fasting time from solids and liquids before operation can stabilize their blood glucose, insulin and electrolyte levels before and after operation, relieve their thirst and hunger before operation, and reduce the incidences of postoperative nausea and vomiting.