Perioperative and long-term complications among obese women undergoing vaginal surgery

Abstract

Objective To determine whether obesity influenced the risk of perioperative and long-term complications in patients undergoing vaginal surgery Methods Women diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse who underwent vaginal Surgery between March 1999 and May 2007 were classified into 3 groups normal weight (body mass index [BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters] 18 5- 23 0); overweight (BMI 23 0-27 5), and obese (BMI >= 27 5). Complications were subdivided into perioperative (<1 month) and long-term (>= 1 month) Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance, chi(2) test, and logistic regression Results Demographic information showed no differences among the groups, except for the presence of comorbidity (P=0 03) Blood loss and transfusion as a perioperative complication and urinary retention as a long-term complication were significantly different among the groups odds ratio (OR) 2 46 (95% confidence interval [CI], 138-4 39, P<0 01); and OR 2 20 (95% CI, 1 21-4 03, P=003). respectively. Conclusion Major complications were rare, and most were not significantly different among the groups However, obesity was a protective factor against blood loss and transfusion, and long-term urinary retention (C) 2009 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd All rights reserved