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Lunar phase does not influence surgical quality.

René Gordon Holzheimer1, C Nitz, U Gresser

  • 1Blombergstr. 5, D-82054 Sauerlach/Munich, Germany. Gresser.holzheimer@t-online.de

European Journal of Medical Research
|October 14, 2003
PubMed
Summary
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This study found no link between lunar phases and surgical outcomes in ambulatory surgery. Patient recovery, including pain and complications, was not affected by the moon

Area of Science:

  • Surgical Outcomes Research
  • Patient Health Perception
  • Lunar Phase Influence on Health

Background:

  • A significant portion of the German population believes lunar phases affect disease.
  • Popular belief suggests increased bleeding at new moon and optimal surgical timing during waning moon phases.
  • The effect of lunar phases on ambulatory surgery outcomes remains unstudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between lunar phases and patient outcomes in ambulatory surgery.
  • To determine if lunar phases influence postoperative complications, pain, or recovery.
  • To provide evidence-based insights into a prevalent folk belief.

Main Methods:

  • A quality control study evaluated 782 patients undergoing herniotomy, haemorrhoidectomy, or crossectomy.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Patients completed questionnaires on postoperative pain, medication, activity restriction, and mental health.
  • Operations were analyzed for complications and correlated with lunar phases.

    • Main Results:

    • No major complications were observed; minor complications occurred in 3.71% of cases.
    • Surgical procedures were evenly distributed across all lunar phases.
    • No statistically significant association was found between lunar phases and surgical complications or patient-reported outcomes.

    Conclusions:

    • The hypothesis that lunar phases influence ambulatory surgery outcomes is not supported by this study.
    • While scientifically unfounded, lunar phase beliefs may have socio-economic implications for healthcare organization and patient decisions.
    • Further research may explore the socio-economic impact of such beliefs.