I just received the October 96 "Dialogue" from the Mayo clinic.  The lead article was Changes in preoperative recommendations for children.  I'll quote from one paragraph....
"The guidelines now suggest that solid foods are OK up to six hours before surgery and clear liquids are also OK up to two hours before surgery.  The clear liquids are limited to water, apple juice, or an oral electrolyte maintenance fluid and specifically should not include orange juice, carbonated beverages, infant formula or (my Emphasis) BREAST MILK."

They are quote Dr. Robert Friedhoff, a Mayo Clinic pediatric anesthesiologist.  The newsletter lists this phone number for "a question about Dialogue" 507-284-9161

I thought that the current thinking was that Breastmilk was a "clear" fluid.  Perhaps we need to educate Dr. Friedhoff some.


Jon Ahrendsen MD, FAAFP