Impact of preoperative nutritional status on colorectal surgery outcomes

TL;DR

Poor nutrition before colorectal surgery increases risks like infections and longer hospital stays, highlighting the need for pre-surgery nutritional evaluation.

Contribution

The study highlights preoperative nutritional screening as a critical factor in predicting and improving postoperative outcomes in colorectal surgery.

Findings

Malnourished patients had higher surgical site infection rates and longer hospital stays.

38% of patients were identified as at moderate to high nutritional risk preoperatively.

Mortality was notably higher in patients with poor preoperative nutritional status.

Abstract

Malnutrition remains a significant yet underrecognized predictor of poor postoperative outcomes in colorectal surgery. This
retrospective study analyzed the association between preoperative nutritional status and postoperative recovery in 132 patients
undergoing colorectal procedures. Malnourished individuals demonstrated higher rates of surgical site infections, prolonged hospitalization
and delayed wound healing compared with well-nourished patients. Nutritional screening identified 38% of patients at moderate to high
risk preoperatively and mortality was notably greater in this group. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing nutritional
status before surgery to improve outcomes and reduce postoperative complications.