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Regions Hospital, Minnesota, has introduced a new, carbohydrate-rich preoperative beverage designed to improve comfort and reduce anxiety for patients heading into surgery. Developed and patented by anesthesiologist, M Lou Marsh, MD, of BevMD, Clearfast is the first product available in the United States that is specifically formulated for consumption by preoperative patients.
As a precautionary measure, doctors often have patients fast for up to 12 hours before a procedure to keep the stomach clean and prevent stomach contents from entering the lungs. This can result in hungry, dehydrated patients and can delay recovery. Clearfast can be safely consumed about two hours prior to surgery. It hydrates, nourishes and assists in the recovery process and can improve postoperative outcomes.
“Fasting before surgery can be frustrating for patients and it doesn’t help prepare the body to recover after surgery,” says Ryan Carlson, MD, a surgeon at Regions Hospital. “Clearfast is a way to avoid fasting, to get nutrition into the body quickly and safely to promote faster healing.”
Regions Hospital recently began piloting Clearfast as an option for patients undergoing colon surgery. Clearfast is one component of a colon surgery improvement project focused on promoting faster recovery. Regions will evaluate patient satisfaction and health outcomes in patients using Clearfast, and could expand use of the beverage to other procedures in the future.