Perioperative medicine & outcomes
Postoperative pulmonary complications in emergency abdominal surgery. A prospective international cohort study
Authors' conclusion
Incidence of PPCs in patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery is significant. Among the modifiable risk factors, a lack of neuromuscular block reversal and postoperative positive air test were associated with the increased incidence of PPCs.
Study context
- Population
- Consecutive patients >18 y/o undergoing emergency abdominal surgery, 45 hospitals, 5 geographical areas, April–June 2023
- Participants
- 507 patients · 45 hospitals
- Outcome
- Incidence of PPCs (acute respiratory failure, pneumothorax, weaning failure, ARDS, pulmonary infection, atelectasis, pleural effusion, bronchospasm, aspiration pneumonitis, pulmonary thromboembolism, pulmonary edema)
- Follow-up
- First 7 postoperative days
Methodological detailsinternational, multicentre, consecutive patients, 7-day follow-up
- International
- Multicentre
- Consecutive patients
- 7-day follow-up
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
PPCs incidence
Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs): 114 patients
22.5%
Severe PPCs: 38 patients
7.5%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Independent risk factors for PPCs (multivariate analysis)
| OR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| High ARISCAT scoreMultivariate analysis | 2.67 (1.06–6.86) | |
| LaparotomyMultivariate analysis | 2.29 (1.06–5.01) | |
| Postoperative positive air-testMultivariate analysis | 2.05 (1.02–4.24) | |
| Neuromuscular block reversalAssociated with a reduced risk of PPCs · multivariate analysis | 0.36 (0.16–0.82) | |
| 0.10.31310Odds ratio (log scale) |
Original publication
Postoperative pulmonary complications in emergency abdominal surgery. A prospective international cohort study. Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med. Published 22 May 2025. doi:10.
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