Evaluating the Impact of Preoperative Nutritional Status on Surgical Outcomes and Public Health Implications in General Surgery Patients.

Background: Malnutrition is linked to more postoperative problems, a longer recovery period, and a higher death rate; preoperative nutritional condition is a critical factor in surgical outcomes.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of preoperative nutritional status on surgical outcomes in general surgery patients and explore its broader public health implications.

Methodology: A two-year observational research with 440 adult patients undergoing general surgery was carried out between January 2022 and December 2023. Based on preoperative nutritional tests, such as Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002), Body Mass Index (BMI), and blood albumin levels, participants were divided into two groups: nutritionally sufficient and nutritionally compromised. Postoperative problems, such as infections, wound healing, duration of hospital stay, readmissions, and 30-day mortality, were examined in the data.

Results: Nutritionally compromised patients exhibited significantly worse outcomes, including higher rates of postoperative infections (80 out of 220, 36.36% vs. 30 out of 220, 13.64%), delayed wound healing (50 out of 220, 22.73% vs. 20 out of 220, 9.09%), longer hospital stays (9.87 ± 3.58 vs. 6.53 ± 2.31 days), increased readmission rates (40 out of 220, 18.18% vs. 10 out of 220, 4.55%), and higher 30-day mortality (25 out of 220, 11.36% vs. 5 out of 220, 2.27%) compared to the nutritionally adequate group. Long-term follow-up showed persistent differences in infection rates and wound healing, supporting the prolonged impact of poor nutritional status.

Conclusion: Preoperative malnutrition significantly affects surgical outcomes, emphasizing the importance of nutritional optimization in preoperative care to enhance recovery and minimize complications.