Projects

Background and Aims: Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) lead to increased morbidity, mortality, length of
hospital stay, and cost to the patient. This study was conducted to determine the risk factors and assess the incidence of PPC
after non‑cardiac surgery.
Material and Methods: This prospective, observational study was conducted on 1,170 patients undergoing non‑cardiac
surgery. Details of patient, surgical, and anesthetic factors were collected and patients were followed up for the entire duration
of hospital stay for the occurrence of PPC. Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia (ARISCAT) score and the
length of hospital stay was noted for all the patients. Regression analysis was used to find the risk factors associated with
development of respiratory complications.
Results: The incidence of PPC was found to be 59 in 1,170 patients (5%) in our hospital. Multivariate analysis revealed that
patients with intermediate and high risk ARISCAT scoring had higher odds of developing PPC. Higher age (>50 years), positive
cough test, presence of nasogastric tube, and intraoperative pulmonary complications were identified as independent risk factors
associated with the occurrence of PPC.
Conclusion: We found 5% incidence of PPC in our study. Recognition of the delineated risk factors and routine use of ARISCAT
score for preoperative assessment may help identify patients at a higher risk of developing postoperative pulmonary complications.