Bowel Prep Instructions for Non-colon Surgery
A gentle bowel prep regimen is used for both bariatric and some non-bariatric cases. This is primarily to evacuate your intestines prior to laparoscopic cases to increase the intra-abdominal space and reduce the risk of injury to these structures and any subsequent contamination.
The day before your operation, preferably in the morning to allow for best results:
- Start a clear liquid diet such as broth, jello, and juice. Stop before midnight and nothing to eat or drink (except medications with sip of water) after that.
- Magnesium citrate: one bottle. This is an over the counter medication and does not require a prescription. To allow for a good night rest, it would be best if this were taken in the morning before noon.
- A complete colon evacuation is not required. In other words, your bowel movements do not have to be clear. Therefore, it is not required for you to take additional cathartics.
- Drink plenty of fluids during the day to reduce risk of dehydration.
- Follow all the other written instructions in the Perioperative Instructions handout given to you in office.
If you have any questions about any of the above, please contact us immediately.
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