Safety and feasibility of early water consumption after general anesthesia recovery in patients undergoing daytime surgery

Abstract

Abstract Following general anesthesia, many patients experience dry lips, throat discomfort, intense thirst, and a strong desire to drink water in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). However, the safety of drinking water is often raised. In this prospective observational study we aimed to assess the safety and feasibility of allowing patients to drink water shortly after recovering from general anesthesia, particularly in the context of daytime surgery. Postoperative patients were given water intake in the PACU according to a standard assessment protocol. A total of 216 patients undergoing non-gastrointestinal surgery. For the per-protocol analysis, sixteen patients were excluded. They were divided into four groups based on the amount of water they consumed: group A (<1 mL kg–1), group B (1–2 mL kg–1), group C (>2 mL kg–1), and group D (no drinking). The incidence of post-drinking nausea and vomiting was only 0.67%（1/150）, with no differences in comparisons between groups (P =0.289). Drinking water resulted in a significant decrease in thirst, oropharyngeal discomfort, and pain scores, while significantly increasing the antral motility index (MI). This difference was statistically significant when compared to the pre-drinking values (P < 0.001). Notably, the more water patients consumed, the more pronounced their gastrointestinal peristalsis. A significant difference in antral MI was observed between groups B, C, and A (P < 0.001). Non-gastrointestinal surgical patients who pass a pre-drinking water assessment after resuscitation from general anesthesia can safely consume moderate amounts of water in the PACU. Early water intake is both safe and feasible to promote postoperative recovery. Clinical trial registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn/usercenter.aspx identifier: ChiCTR2200063418.