| Popis: |
Nil per os (NPO), a Latin term, that means “nothing by mouth” is used in medicine to describe the instruction to withhold fluids and solid foods from a person. Patients are kept NPO prior to a scheduled procedure in order to minimize the risk of emesis and pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents when placed under general anesthesia—the sequelae of which can have significant consequences on morbidity and mortality. The American Society of Anesthesiologists created practice guidelines for preoperative fasting that guides health care providers when a patient must abstain from drinking and eating prior to a procedure. NPO guidelines play a large role in the perioperative management of patients of all ages—from pediatrics to geriatrics—undergoing nonemergent procedures. |
