Diet instructions before your surgery

This information is for patients who are scheduled for a Retroperitoneal Lymph
Node Dissection.

On the day before your surgery:

Drink only clear fluids (such as apple, grape or cranberry juice, ginger ale,
popsicles, Jell-o, clear broth or tea without milk) on the day before your surgery.
At 6pm on the day before your surgery, have one high fat shake. Fat is absorbed
through your lymphatic system. During your surgery, the fat in your lymphatic
system will help your doctor see these vessels, which is important to help avoid
injury to them. You can make your shake at home or consider a take-out option.
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight.
Homemade options:
Blend:
1 ½ cups ice cream* (16-21g fat)
½ cup whole milk (4g fat)
2 Tbsp whipped cream or blend in 2 Tbsp coffee cream (18% M.F.) (5-10g fat)

You may use lactose-free versions of any of the above products.

*Do not use ice cream that contains any solids like nuts, fruit pieces, etc.
Dairy-free options:
1 ½ cups dairy-free ice cream* (26-45g fat)
½ cup soy milk (2g fat)
2 Tbsp non-dairy creamer (2g fat)
* Do not use ice cream that contains any solids like nuts, fruit pieces, etc. Do not
use coconut-based ice cream. More than half the fat in coconut is not absorbed in
the lymphatic system.

See reverse for more options and additional important information 

Dairy-free ice cream examples:
So Delicious creamy chocolate cashew
Breyers non-dairy vanilla peanut butter

OR
1 ½ cups almond milk (4g fat)
2 Tbsp avocado oil (or other neutral flavour oil except coconut oil) (28g fat)
Chocolate or other flavoured syrup to taste
2 ice cubes

Take-out options:
McDonald’s large triple thick milkshake (26g fat)
Dairy Queen large milkshake (27-72g fat)

Important notes
Talk to your doctor before following these guidelines if you have any of the
following conditions:
 Gastroparesis
 Pancreatic insufficiency (taking pancreatic enzymes) or fat malabsorption
 Difficulty tolerating high fat foods