A study comparing the surgical and patient outcomes with different pre-surgery diet regimes with or without bowel preparation solution for laparoscopic gynaecological surgery

The purpose of this study is to compare the levels of discomfort a patient experiences, to compare the effects on blood components and to compare the surgical outcomes associated with different modes of bowel preparation before gynaecological laparoscopic surgery. Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical technique, for which you have already been admitted to this hospital. Prior to surgery, it is standard procedure in this department for patients to take mechanical bowel preparation. This involves following a diet and then taking a proprietary drink to assist in emptying the bowels. Traditionally, the emptying of the bowels is believed to improve the visualisation of abdominal contents as well as potentially decrease complication rates involving the bowel, though there is not a lot of scientific proof that this is the case. Recent research in gynaecological and bowel surgery has shown that mechanical bowel preparation may not be necessary. In this study, patients will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1. Women in group one will only fast (not have anything to eat or drink) before their surgery 2. Women in group two will fast and undertake a minimal residue diet 3. Women in group three will undertake a minimal residue diet and take mechanical bowel preparation as directed. You will have a 33% chance of being in any of the three groups. Neither the doctor nor the study participant can decide which bowel preparation the patient will undertake. This study will be a single blind trial. This means that the doctor will not know which bowel preparation the participant has taken. When you have been assigned to one group, we will provide a detailed outline of the bowel preparation you need to undertake. A study team member will contact you before your surgery to ensure that you know which group you are in and to remind you of the procedures. The knowledge gained from this study will allow us to estimate whether one type of bowel preparation is significantly better for patients, enabling us to provide a better quality of care for all women.