Pre-op Liquids & The Liver during Surgery

[deneicy 0]

I received the following note from my surgeon's staff and thought it valuable to share. I'd asked why I couldn't add Egg Beaters or Lean chicken to my 2-week pre-op liquids diet. (Most of the hospital's patients have more weight to lose and are on the pre-op diet for a MONTH.)

"You are to follow the pre-op meal plan that was given to you. I know it's hard because it doesn't consist of a lot of substance, but it is a requirement from Dr. --- in order to have surgery. Every person whom is overweight or obese has an enlarged liver.

The liquid diet helps shrink the size of the liver, fat around the abdomen and helps Dr. --- perform the surgery in record time and prevents him from poking your fatty liver with his surgical tools. If your liver is fatty and it gets poked it will bleed and therefore the operation will take longer.

Please follow the guidelines and don't have anything that isn't already listed on the pre-op diet. Dr. --- has been known to put his camera in the belly, look at the liver and if it's still too large, a funny color from eating solid foods or if he feels that you cheated, he will cancel your surgery on that very day! So please take full advantage of 2 Protein Shakes a day and 3 servings of cottage cheese, milk or yogurt to help fill you up as much as possible. The previous items include Protein for satiety! "

guess that answered my question. I hope my liver is the right color--whatever that is--when Dr. --- sees it next Wednesday.

Prayers for all of us.

:smile:

[LynneB 0]

My Dr said the same thing, he will open you up & if your liver is too large he will close you right back up and reschedule your surgery in no less than 2 months. I am not taking that chance!! I have waited soooo long for this, no way am I waiting another 2 months because I messed up the preop diet!

[Jachut 487]

Although its totally not true that every person who's overweight has an enlarged fatty liver!

But stick with it, its your best insurance for easy trouble free surgery.

[make33 2]

You are very wise in following your doctor's instructions--this pre-op diet is not forever! For the short amount of time we are asked to sacrifice, we should respect the requirements of our trusted surgeons.

Nothing irritates me more than the pre-op patients who get on here and say "O-o-o-o-h, I wasn't able to follow my surgeon's rules and I ate everything in the world I wanted--now please, everyone forgive me" and I'm afraid I've voiced my opinion (wanted or unwanted) quite a few times.

As I have said many, many times: the surgeon is our leader and we must follow his rules! (I'm getting off my soapbox now!) :smile:

[CynthiaMcC 0]

Yes, we do need to follow the diet. However, I would kill for a Protein Shake ... all I get is Clear Liquids pre surgery ... no dairy, no Protein. I'd love some tofu right now :smile:

[JaxBandster 11]

My surgeon only requires a low carb diet before surgery (about a month) then a clear liquid diet two days prior to surgery. I went for my pre-op today and he showed us pictures of a nice healthy liver and one from a patient that he closed up. You could see bruising and lacerations on the liver from where he just touched it with the forceps. It was bleeding and black in areas from the bruising. He said that if he had tried to lift the liver to get to the stomach it would have torn and the patient could have died so he closed her up. He also said that if you do the pre-op diet and shrink your liver, and then go out and have one last mega meal that the liver will swell right back up. So no last hurrah for me :frown:

So do yourself and your surgeon a favor and whatever pre-op diet he has you on, stick to it so you improve your chances for a successful and risk free surgery.