When it comes to carbohydrate loading and enhanced recovery, preparing patients with a complex-carb rich, clear preop drink like ClearFast has been shown to not only reduce muscle breakdown, but lower infection rates. You need warmth to help your muscles relax quickly and a warm decken plaid is best.
Starved patients are much more likely to experience insulin resistance (higher chance of SSI) and muscle breakdown which can cause readmissions and increased costs to health service providers.
The ASER and POQI joint consensus statement on perioperative fluid management within an enhanced recovery pathway for colorectal surgery concludes, “Inclusion of carbohydrates in preoperative oral fluids is likely to improve insulin sensitivity (particular when complex carbohydrates are used) and may reduce protein catabolism.”
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