RESUMO
Context: Optimum preoperative fasting is imperative for the prevention of aspiration in pediatric patients. The current guidelines advocate 2-4-6 rule for the same. However, direct supervision is lacking in large volume centers. Aims: Thus, we aimed to determine the fasting compliance of children preoperatively and to ascertain whether parents understood the significance and purpose of optimum fasting. Materials and Methods: Design - A prospective questionnaire-based study regarding preoperative fasting was performed in pediatric patients aged 1-10 years scheduled for "day care surgery" or "same day admission surgery" over 12 weeks. Thereafter, parental awareness drive was carried out, and a re-audit was performed with a questionnaire in the next cohort of patients. Results: The number of patients in the pre and postcounseling groups were 98 and 99. Thirteen percent of the patients were optimally fasted for solids initially. Re-audit confirmed compliance increased to 46%. Patients fasting adequately (2-3 h) for clear fluids increased from 22.4% to 51.5% postcounseling. The number for optimally breast-fed children increased postaudit (23.1%-39.1%). Consequent to the drive, parental awareness increased and 49.5% parents knew that only plain water was permitted during fasting. Number of parents considering preoperative fasting important increased from 39.8% to 79.7%. Initially, 27.6% of the parents did not know the reason for fasting, which reduced to 3% postaudit. Conclusion: Parents are misinformed and ignorant about optimum preoperative fasting. Adequate education and awareness to improve their knowledge was associated with increased compliance for optimal fasting.