The Effect of Obesity on Surgical Outcomes in General Surgery Patients: A Systematic Review of 1,680,694 patients

Haneen I Brnawi; Ahmed A Alghabban; Raghad E ALamri; Ali A Alqahtani; Saud  Hussain; Abdulrahman Alqahtani; Marwan Alomran; Saleem Alatya; Marwan Alkhaibari; Khalid Asiri; Khaled  Hader; Rayyan Alassiri; Meshal Alharbi

doi:10.54293/smhj.v4i2.105

Authors

Haneen I Brnawi Consultant general surgery and assistant professor in Tabuk University, Tabuk, KSA
Ahmed A Alghabban Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, KSA. https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6646-5692
Raghad E ALamri Medical Intern, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, KSA. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2893-9004
Ali A Alqahtani Medical Intern, Faculty of Medicine, King Khalid University, Aseer, KSA.
Saud Hussain Medical student, Faculty of Medicine, king Khalid University, Abha, KSA.
Abdulrahman Alqahtani Medical Intern, Faculty of Medicine, King Khalid University, Aseer, KSA.
Marwan Alomran Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, KSA. https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6901-8280
Saleem Alatya Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, KSA. https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2313-4347
Marwan Alkhaibari Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, KSA. https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6941-8172
Khalid Asiri Medical Student, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Asir, KSA.
Khaled Hader Medical Student, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Asir, KSA.
Rayyan Alassiri Medical student, Faculty of Medicine, king Khalid University, Abha, KSA. https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6140-0451
Meshal Alharbi Medical intern, college of medicine, king Khalid University, Abha, KSA.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54293/smhj.v4i2.105

Keywords:

Keywords: Obesity; BMI; General surgery; Complications Systematic review.

Abstract

The study examined the impact of obesity on general surgery patients, analyzing eleven studies with 1,680,694 patients. Results showed that obesity increases postoperative wound infection risk, blood loss, and recovery times. However, prospective studies found no increase in surgical complications or hospitalization expenses. Obesity may protect against venous thromboembolism and death, but post-operative complications in obese patients undergoing general surgical procedures remain controversial due to metabolic, pharmacologic, and systemic illnesses. Obesity increases surgical duration and SSIs, potentially increasing immediate complications.