Special Announcement: Guidelines to the Practice of Anesthesia— Revised Edition 2024

One of the most controversial and polarizing topics in obstetric anesthesia is the restriction of oral intake during labour and delivery. [...] In many obstetric units, limiting oral intake to ‘‘clear fluids only’’ has been, and still is, a routine practice with the intention of decreasing the risk of pulmonary aspiration should general anesthesia be required for emergency Cesarean delivery. [...] The decision to proceed or withhold a neuraxial procedure in an obstetric patient with thrombocytopenia is a common and ubiquitous clinical conundrum. [...] The difficulty in making the decision is due, in part, to the overall lack of high-quality information on this topic. [...] In 2021, the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology led a multidisciplinary taskforce consisting of experts in obstetric anesthesia, obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine, hematology, and statistical methods to form a consensus statement on neuraxial procedures in obstetric patients with isolated thrombocytopenia through a systematic review and modified Delphi process.9 It is important to [...] In the 2024 Guidelines, there is now greater clarity and more specific recommendations on the critical importance of a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to enhance patient safety. [...] Stephan Schwarz—for their tremendous support and assistance with publication of the Guidelines and this accompanying editorial. [...] Guidelines to the Practice of Anesthesia—Revised Edition 2024. [...] Guidelines to the Practice of Anesthesia—Revised Edition 2023. [...] Perioperative fasting in adults and children: guidelines from the European Society of Anaesthesiology.