Minimal residue diet plus mechanical bowel preparation provides statistical improvement in surgical view and bowel handling, but the benefit is likely of little clinical significance given overall blinded ratings from surgeons. Given the significant symptoms and discomfort caused for patients undertaking minimal residue diet with or without mechanical bowel preparation, fasting only without any preoperative diet or bowel preparation is a preferable alternative for laparoscopic gynecologic surgery involving the posterior pelvic compartment.

No abstract