Is fasting required before cataract surgery? A retrospective review.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the possibility that fasting is not required before cataract surgery.

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective review.

PARTICIPANTS

All patients who had cataract surgery alone (not combined with corneal or glaucoma surgery) at Mount St. Joseph Hospital between April 1, 2007, and March 31, 2008.

METHODS

Three methods were used to determine whether any cases of aspiration pneumonia after cataract surgery had occurred: recall by the supervising anaesthetist, a search of hospital medical records for admissions with a diagnosis of pneumonia, and recall by the operating surgeons.

RESULTS

In 5125 cases of cataract surgery, no case of aspiration pneumonia was found.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that it is safe to perform cataract surgery under topical or infiltration anaesthesia with intravenous sedation without fasting prior to surgery.