Why NPO before and after surgery in appendectomy?

Answer 1

A patient is placed on NPO status before surgery to prepare the gastrointestinal tract. Your stomach and esophagus (food tube) relaxes when general anesthesia is administered which makes it possible for food to move up into your mouth from where a patient may aspirate it down their trachea (wind pipe) into their lungs. Such aspirate is usually very acidic (pH around 1-3) and can cause sever damage to the lungs requiring artificial ventilation and hospitalization. By placing a patient on NPO status, there will be nothing to aspirate because any food would have been absorbed into the small intestines by that time of surgery 6-8 hrs later.

Answer 2

When sedated or under anesthesia, your body's normal protective airway reflexes, such as coughing, that prevent the aspiration of any regurgitated stomach contents is impaired. The aspiration of acidic or solid gastric contents can cause serious and even life threatening lung inflammation and infection.

If your stomach is full, the chances or regurgitating are greater, and the amount regurgitated will be greater which increases the likelihood of aspiration.

The requirement has little or nothing to due with post-operative nausea.

It's extremely important to comply with the NPO protocols prior to your medical procedure.

In emergencies, various measures can be taken to reduce the risk of this complication. Surgery can be delayed, medications can be given to help reduce the acidity and volume of stomach contents, or maneuvers may be employed to protect from aspiration, for example placing a cuffed endotracheal tube into the trachea.

Between the time the patient is anesthetized until this tube is in place the esophagus is usually compressed by pressing the cricoid cartilage in the neck against the esophagus, the Sellick maneuver.

Answer 3

NPO or "Nothing by mouth" is ordered post-op with variations respective to type of surgery, location of incisions, level of consciousness of patient. Usually, to prevent vomiting which could cause wounds to tear open; Also, nothing by mouth until peristalsis returns (natural movement of bowel/ sounds) evidenced by passing of gas or actual bowel movement. Anesthesia used during surgery can slow bowels. If food is taken before stomache and bowels "wake up" it can cause a blockage...which can actually kill you if left untreated....

Answer 4

to reduce gastric secretions related to abdominal pain. to prevent aspiration during surgery. to eliminate nausea and vomiting

Answer 5

6-8 hours NPO presurgery so that you bowels will be clean, NPO post surgery because of aspiration, because you will undergo gen anaesthesia meaning you'll have no gag reflex