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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.

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14y ago
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14y ago

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.

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14y ago

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....

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14y ago

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

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12y ago

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

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Q: Why NPO before and after surgery in appendectomy?
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What is the surgery that removes the appendix?

Appendectomy


Pre-op Nursing responsibilities of exploratory laparotomy appendectomy?

Patients should be NPO for 8 hours before surgery. If they are going to operate on their bowels, they will undergo bowel prep the previous day. They'll need an IV Fluid to keep them well hydrated while NPO(Nothing per orem). It's also nice if they can take a bath with an antiseptic cleanser the night before. Patient should also remove his/her dentures and also all the metals in his/her body.


What is the most common abdominal surgery?

Appendectomy


What is a appendectomy?

Surgery to remove a human appendix.


What is another word for appendectomy?

Appendix removal by surgery.


What do they remove in an appendectomy?

The appendix is removed. The appendix is a vestigial organ found in the cecum. If it gets inflamed, it is removed and the surgery is called appendectomy.


A McBurney's incision is one of the first cuts made in what surgery?

Appendectomy


What is the best diet after appendectomy?

The same as before an appendectomy. aA balanced one.


Is appendectomy and laparoscopy the same?

Appendectomy is the removal of the appendix by surgery. Laparoscopy is the use of a laprascope (a lighted camera equipped surgical instrument) in a surgical procedure.


What is npo diet?

NPO stands for Nothing Per Orem which means nothing by mouth. Doctors use this on orders when they do not want the patient to take in any type of food or liquid by mouth. For instance, when a patient is getting ready for a surgery, they are ordered for NPO.


What happens if you eat before a surgery?

Maybe nothing - maybe vomiting under anesthesia and choking, or giving yourself pneumonia. There are very good reasons for the hospital chart dictum "NPO" (Nihil per Ora - Nothing by Mouth) the day before a major surgery.


What is happens if you eat before a surgery?

Maybe nothing - maybe vomiting under anesthesia and choking, or giving yourself pneumonia. There are very good reasons for the hospital chart dictum "NPO" (Nihil per Ora - Nothing by Mouth) the day before a major surgery.