... which ovccurs in 1-6 per 10,000 anaesthetics. (Olsson, 1986) According to Mendelsson, (1946) the risk factors associated with aspiration pneumonitis increases when the patient has a gastric volume above 25ml and a gastric pH lower than 2.5. The ideal fasting time would avoid these conditions. Other studies (Hung, 1992, Green, 1996) indicate that extending the fasting time does not achieve this, and indeed may lead to other problems, such as dehydration, electrolytic imbalance, malnutrition and at worse may contribute to post-anaesthetic mortality and morbidity. Psychologically, the excessively fasted patient may become non-compliant and resentful. Shevde and Trivedi, 1991, concluded that in healthy adults it was safe to induce general anaesthesia two hours from the ingestion of moderate amounts of clear fluids. This was despite the fact that these patients had a pH below 2.5, which Mendelsson said may cause patients aspirate and risk lung damage. They quoted a study by ...

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