Surgery while taking GLP-1
How is surgery planned while taking GLP-1 medicines?
GLP-1 medicines can delay stomach emptying, which matters during anaesthesia and deep sedation. Published guidance supports assessment by the surgical, anaesthesia and prescribing teams; they decide the medication and fasting plan.[1]
Written by the GLP-1 Facelift editorial team from the sources listed on each page. Last updated: .
Why does the stomach matter during facial surgery?
The concern is retained stomach contents during anaesthesia, with the possibility of material entering the airway. The 2023 American Society of Anesthesiologists statement described evidence then limited largely to case reports. The concern applies to general anaesthesia and deep sedation, including when the operation is far from the stomach.
ASA consensus statement, checked 4 November 2026 sets out that original rationale.
For a consultation in Korea, list the generic medicine name, dose, dosing frequency, most recent administration and any recent change. Semaglutide and tirzepatide should be identified by their actual names rather than simply “a weight-loss injection.” Record who prescribes it and the reason for treatment so the team can obtain the relevant medical history.
What did the ASA say in 2023?
The 2023 ASA statement discussed withholding before elective procedures, symptoms and possible delay. Later multi-society guidance followed, so the historical document should not be used alone to plan an operation.
The ASA’s 2023 document, checked 4 November 2026 now points readers to the later multi-society guidance.
What changed in the multi-society guidance?
The multi-society guidance released in 2024 calls for a coordinated assessment of medication history, dose changes, gastrointestinal symptoms and other conditions affecting stomach emptying.[1]
Ask what the team has assessed and how the findings affect your medication and fasting plan.
Has guidance continued to evolve?
The 2025 SPAQI multidisciplinary consensus describes differences in published recommendations on medication management and preoperative fasting.[2] Ask which published guidance the treating team uses for your operation.
Ask who is responsible for applying the guidance to your procedure. Make sure the final document is in a language you understand and identifies the operation date and the team to contact about changes.
What should you tell the team before travelling?
- The medicine name, dose, frequency and date of the most recent administration.
- Any recent dose changes and any nausea, vomiting, abdominal symptoms or difficulty eating.
- Diabetes and other relevant medical conditions, previous anaesthesia experiences and all other medicines or supplements.
- Your weight trajectory, recent intake and any history of bariatric surgery or diagnosed nutritional deficiency.
Send the list through the clinic’s agreed clinical channel and ask who has reviewed it. A booking conversation is not the same as an anaesthesia assessment. Confirm whether records need translation and whether additional information is required from the prescribing clinician. Keep the names of the medicines in their original spelling as well as any translated explanation.
On the day of the procedure, have the updated list available. Tell the team about any change since the earlier assessment instead of assuming that the booking notes are current. Ask for the postoperative medication plan to identify the responsible clinician and the route for questions after discharge.
What about nutrition and wound healing?
A 2026 narrative review discusses inadequate intake and nutritional deficiencies as potential concerns during GLP-1-associated weight loss. It proposes assessment targeted to nutritional history and clinical findings, while noting that prospective research is needed to test whether correcting deficiencies improves aesthetic or surgical outcomes.[3]
A propensity-matched database study found an association between GLP-1 use and wound complications after abdominal procedures and breast reduction.[4]
When arranging an assessment through a facial surgery assessment service, ask what information the prescribing, surgical and anaesthesia clinicians will share and who will coordinate the medication and fasting plan.
Questions about medicines and anaesthesia
Should I stop semaglutide before a facelift?
Published recommendations differ on medication management and preoperative fasting.[2] Ask for a plan for your operation date that has been coordinated by the prescribing, surgical and anaesthesia clinicians. If instructions conflict, request one reconciled written plan from the team.
Does sedation remove the need for a GLP-1 assessment?
Deep sedation is included in the published concern about retained stomach contents. The anaesthesia service needs the medication history.[1]
Can I choose a fasting plan from the internet?
The treating team must issue the fasting plan for the intended anaesthetic and your assessment.
References
(4)
Bibliographic records retrieved from PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine).
Kindel TL, Wang AY, Wadhwa A, et al. Multi-society clinical practice guidance for the safe use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in the perioperative period. Surg Endosc. 2025;39(1):180-183.
Oprea AD, Ostapenko LJ, Sweitzer B, et al. Perioperative management of patients taking glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists: Society for Perioperative Assessment and Quality Improvement (SPAQI) multidisciplinary consensus statement. Br J Anaesth. 2025;135(1):48-78.
Karlin J, Li Z, Parsa K. The Impact of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist-Induced Nutritional Deficiencies on Skin Health: A Narrative Review With a Proposed Framework for the Aesthetic Practitioner. Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2026;8:ojag169.
Lee CC, Newland M, Yau A, et al. Impact of GLP-1 Agonist on Surgical Wound Complications after Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: A Propensity-Matched Cohort Large Database Analysis. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2026;158(3):481e-490e.