Effect of pre-operative oral carbohydrate loading on recovery after day-case cholecystectomy: A randomised controlled trial BACKGROUND Pre-operative carbohydrate loading has been shown to reduce pre-operative discomfort and postoperative nausea and vomiting in general surgical patients. Few studies have considered day-case surgery. OBJECTIVE The aim of this prospective randomised study was to determine whether pre-operative carbohydrate loading enhanced recovery after day-case cholecystectomy. DESIGN A randomised controlled trial. SETTING Secondary care in a district general and a university hospital in Finland between 2013 and 2016. PATIENTS A total of 113 patients American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II aged 18 to 70 undergoing day-case cholecystectomy were included in the study. Exclusion criteria were bleeding or coagulation disorders, BMI more than 40 kg m−2, dementia, insulin-treated diabetes, migraine, Meniere's disease or a history of alcohol or drug abuse. INTERVENTION The carbohydrate-rich drink group received oral carbohydrate (200 ml) 2 to 3 h before surgery, and the control (fasting) group fasted from midnight according to standard protocol. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Visual analogue scales (VAS) were used to score six forms of discomfort: the need for analgesia and antiemetics, the time to drinking, eating and first mobilisation after surgery and the time to discharge. Any hospital re-admission was also recorded. RESULTS The highest VAS scores were seen for mouth dryness and tiredness 2 h after surgery in the fasting group. There were no significant differences in any VAS scores between the study groups. No differences in time to mobilisation, need for pain or antiemetic medication or time to discharge were seen between the groups. CONCLUSION Compared with overnight fasting, pre-operative carbohydrate loading did not significantly enhance peri-operative well being or recovery in patients undergoing day-case cholecystectomy. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT03757208. Correspondence to Heli Helminen, Senior Physician, Department of Surgery, Seinäjoki Central Hospital, Hanneksenrinne 7, 60220 Seinäjoki, Finland Tel: +358 64155888; e-mail: heli.helminen@epshp.fi © 2019 European Society of Anaesthesiology