title: The effect of fasting on surgical performance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is unknown whether fasting has any impact on surgical performance. This simulator-based study investigates whether fasting affects surgical performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve healthy medical students [seven women, mean age 26.5 years (range 23-34)] with no prior experience with surgical simulators underwent a short course introduction to the LapSim(®) simulator. After having reached a predefined level, the participants performed five simulated salpingectomies on the LapSim(®) simulator 5-30 days after the initial introduction. The procedures took place at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. after fasting from 9 p.m. the previous day. Time used to complete the procedure, instrument movements and "blood loss" were registered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants performed significantly better at 2 p.m. compared with 9 a.m. with regard to time, "blood loss" and instrument movements except from instrument movements in the longitudinal axis with the left hand.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The simulator-based study suggests that 17 h of fasting does not deteriorate surgical performance. Further studies on the effect of fasting on surgical performance are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hvidovre Hospital, Kettegårds Alle 30, 2650, Hvidovre, Denmark. davidschefte@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: David Fenger
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Schefte
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hvidovre Hospital, Kettegårds Alle 30, 2650, Hvidovre, Denmark.
authors.forename: Steffen Jais
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rosenstock
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000193:education*; D008297:Male; D013337:Students, Medical; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Fasting; Laparoscopic simulation; Surgery