surgery risk – Risk Management 365

Obese people have a much higher risk of potentially deadly complications following surgery, a new study shows.

Researchers found obese patients had a significantly higher risk of postoperative complications, such as heart attack, wound infection, nerve injury, and urinary tract infections.

In addition, the study showed morbidly obese patients (patients more than 100 pounds over their ideal weight) were nearly twice as likely to die as a result of complications following noncardiac surgery.

Researchers say the findings are especially troubling as obesity rates climb in the U.S. According to the CDC, more than 30% of the adult U.S. population is now considered obese.

“Our study provides further evidence of the dangers of obesity as it relates to surgery,” says researcher Olumuyiwa A. Bamgbade, MD.

via Surgery Risks Higher for Obese.

Smokers Are Nearly 40% More Likely Than Nonsmokers to Die After Surgery

Smokers who undergo surgery are more likely than nonsmokers to have complications or to die shortly after surgical procedures, according to a study. The risk of death within 30 days of a wide variety of surgeries was nearly 40% higher in smokers than in nonsmokers, says Alparslan Turan, MD, associate professor of anesthesiology at the Cleveland Clinic. There was also an increase in cardiovascular complications,” Turan says. In his study comparing more than 82,000 smokers with nonsmoking patients, the smokers were:

57% more likely to have cardiac arrest
80% more likely to have a heart attack
73% more likely to have a stroke

The risk of pneumonia was double [for smokers],” Turan says.The patients had a range of common surgeries, such as colon procedures, breast surgeries, appendix removal, and hysterectomy. Smokers were also more likely to contract infections and to be put on mechanical ventilation after surgery because of complications.

via Smoking Raises Surgery Risks.