Relationship between lunar cycle and haemorrhagic complication rate in surgery

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate a possible relationship between lunar cycles and haemorrhagic complication rate in surgery.

Materials and methods: The possible relationship between moon phases and surgical outcome was tested by evaluating the haemorrhagic complication rate for 18,760 patients who underwent surgery between January 2001 and December 2008 at the National Institute for Cancer Research in Genoa. A total of 103 lunar phases were considered using Chi-square (χ²) test analysis, and patients were allocated a surgery date.

Results: One hundred and sixty-seven haemorrhagic complications were observed. Three hundred and nine new moon phase days were analysed and 12 incidences of complications detected, with a 3.9% complication rate per day. In the waxing moon phase, 1184.5 d were analysed with 68 incidences of complications at a daily rate of 5.7%. In the full moon phase there was a 4.9% complication rate per day (15 incidences in 309 d), whereas in the waning moon phase, the 6% percentage rate per day resulted from 72 incidences in 1184.5 d.

Conclusions: No statistically significant correlations were found between moon cycles and postoperative haemorrhagic complications (p = .50).

Keywords:

• Lunar cycles
• haemorrhagic complications
• surgery

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.