Category: Enhanced recovery after surgery

For decades, patients faced prolonged fasting before surgery, a practice that has been widely challenged by modern medical protocols. Preoperative carbohydrate loading is an evidence-based strategy that aims to mitigate the metabolic stress caused by this fasting period and improve outcomes in total knee replacement surgery.

The practice of drinking clear carbohydrate drinks before surgery, rather than the traditional overnight fast, is a major shift in modern perioperative care. This approach is a key part of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols, designed to lessen the body's metabolic stress response to fasting, with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes and overall comfort.