Effects of Preoperative Oral Carbohydrate Loading on Preoperative and Postoperative Comfort in Patients Planned to Undergo Elective Cholecystectomy: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Cholecystectomy is a widespread abdominal procedure. A period of 8-hour-fasting for this relatively rapid surgery negatively affects the patients’ comfort.

The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of the presurgical intake of carbohydrates on patients’ comfort.

This prospective study was carried out on 42 cholecystectomy patients (with the American Society of Anesthesiologists grade of I-II) divided into two groups. The patients in group 1 underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy after an 8-hour-fasting period. The subjects in group 2 received a carbohydrate-rich solution with 12.5% dextrose before the surgery (125 g of sugar melted in 1 L of water; 800 and 200 mL 8 and 2 h before the surgery, respectively). Thirst, hunger, and nausea at the 9th preoperative hour and 30 min before the surgery in addition to nausea and vomiting at the 2nd, 8th, and 24th postoperative hours were assessed in both groups.

The mean age and body mass index (BMI) values of the patients were 48.38±12.68 years and 29.85±5.20 kg/m², respectively. The mean operational time was 36.5 min (range: 26-114 min). No difference was observed between the two groups in terms of age, BMI, and operational time. The investigation 30 min before cholecystectomy revealed that the rates of hungry and thirsty patients were higher in group 1, compared to those reported for group 2 (P=0.003 and P=0.032). Nevertheless, at the 2nd and 8th postoperative hours, the rate of patientsʼ complaining of nausea was higher in group 2 in comparison to that of group 1 (P=0.048 and P=0.014).

It is suggested that the intake of carbohydrate-rich fluids up to the preoperative 2nd hour decreased presurgical hunger/thirst. The results of this study are in line with the findings of previous studies. It is believed that the intake of CHO-rich solutions up to 2 h before surgery may provide comfort by decreasing hunger/thirst. Nevertheless, it is necessary to take into account a potential rise in a feeling of nausea among these patients.