Pre-Surgery Routine Needs an Update, Says Doc

For years, patients preparing for colon surgery have been told to stick to a liquid diet and do a colon cleanse. The only problem? There’s not much science to back up those suggestions, says Robert Cima of the Mayo Clinic. He and his Mayo colleagues subscribe instead to the “enhanced recovery” approach, which spares patients the fasting and heavy narcotics in favor of regular meals and over-the-counter painkillers. Surgery is like running a marathon, he says, and the body needs to be in a normal state to brace for the big event.