Objective To evaluate the safety and necessity of shortening the time of preoperative fasting and fluid limitation in lumber disc herniation patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery. Methods A total of 141 eligible patients were assigned into the control group (n=70) and the intervention group (n=71) between April and September 2015. The control group received traditional fasting method while the intervention group received new preoperative fasting method. The time of fasting food and fluid limitation, the incidences of hunger, thirsty, aspiration, postoperative nausea and vomiting, postoperative abdominal distension, and length of stay and the subjective feeling in hospital were compared between the two groups. Results The average time of preoperative fasting and fluid limitation were (13.09±2.30) and (7.84±2.10) hours in the control group and (6.88±0.96) and (4.68±1.08) hours in the intervention group. The incidence of thirsty in the intervention group was shorter than that in the control group, and the subjective feeling in hospital of the intervention group was better than that in the control group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, the incidence of postoperative abdominal distension, and length of hospital stay between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusions Shortening the time of preoperative fasting and fluid limitation can improve the subjective feeling in hospital of lumber disc herniation patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery, not increasing the incidences of complications. It can be applied gradually.