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. 2025 Jun 1;312(3):813–822. doi: 10.1007/s00404-025-08073-9

Table 3.

Postoperative complications of patients according to body mass index categories

Underweight < 18.5 (n = 1315) Normal BMI
18.5–24.9 (n = 46,209)
Overweight
25–29.9 (n = 58,945)
Obesity
Class 1
30–34.9
(n = 46,687)
Obesity
Class 2
35–39.9 (n = 28,307)
Obesity
Class 3
 ≥ 40.0 (n = 25,481)
p value
Any complication 87 (6.6) 2986 (6.5) 3705 (6.3) 3009 (6.4) 2042 (7.2) 2058 (8.1)  < 0.001
Any major complication 37 (2.8) 1302 (2.8) 1467 (2.5) 1184 (2.5) 743 (2.6) 747 (2.9) 0.001
Any minor complication 62 (4.7) 1926 (4.2) 2503 (4.2) 2056 (4.4) 1411 (5.0) 1472 (5.8)  < 0.001
Minor complication
Transfusion 22 (1.7) 519 (1.1) 622 (1.1) 454 (1.0) 334 (1.2) 313 (1.2) 0.003
Superficial surgical site infection 15 (1.1) 373 (0.8) 542 (0.9) 498 (1.1) 397 (1.4) 493 (1.9)  < 0.001
Urinary tract infection 24 (1.8) 1041 (2.3) 1348 (2.3) 1116 (2.4) 692 (2.4) 676 (2.7) 0.007
Renal insufficiency 1 (0.1) 2 (0.0) 4 (0.0) 5 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 8 (0.0)  < 0.001
Pneumonia 0 (0.0) 31 (0.1) 54 (0.1) 49 (0.1) 38 (0.1) 42 (0.2) 0.001
Major complication
Organ space surgical site infection 19 (1.4) 497 (1.1) 609 (1.0) 509 (1.1) 342 (1.2) 335 (1.3) 0.004
Deep incisional surgical site infection 1 (0.1) 65 (0.1) 75 (0.1) 54 (0.1) 49 (0.2) 44 (0.2) 0.203
Wound dehiscence 2 (0.2) 105 (0.2) 110 (0.2) 103 (0.2) 51 (0.2) 74 (0.3) 0.048
Pulmonary embolism 0 (0.0) 75 (0.2) 105 (0.2) 93 (0.2) 55 (0.2) 56 (0.2) 0.290
Cardiac arrest 0 (0.0) 6 (0.0) 5 (0.0) 9 (0.0) 10 (0.0) 4 (0.0) 0.101
Myocardial infarction 0 (0.0) 5 (0.0) 16 (0.0) 8 (0.0) 8 (0.0) 7 (0.0) 0.404
Cerebrovascular accident 0 (0.0) 8 (0.0) 5 (0.0) 5 (0.0) 2 (0.0) 6 (0.0) 0.412
Deep venous thromboembolism 2 (0.2) 52 (0.1) 54 (0.1) 56 (0.1) 38 (0.1) 35 (0.1) 0.401
Ventilation > 48 h 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) NA
Sepsis 4 (0.3) 133 (0.3) 168 (0.3) 160 (0.3) 101 (0.4) 117 (0.5) 0.001
Septic shock 1 (0.1) 12 (0.0) 12 (0.0) 13 (0.0) 11 (0.0) 15 (0.1) 0.062
Reoperation 17 (1.3) 661 (1.4) 668 (1.1) 505 (1.1) 294 (1.0) 263 (1.0)  < 0.001
Reintubation 0 (0.0) 16 (0.0) 17 (0.0) 22 (0.0) 20 (0.1) 15 (0.1) 0.059
Progressive renal insufficiency 1 (0.1) 14 (0.0) 20 (0.0) 13 (0.0) 8 (0.0) 12 (0.0) 0.704
Death 0 (0.0) 5 (0.0) 6 (0.0) 6 (0.0) 5 (0.0) 6 (0.0) 0.672

BMI, body mass index

Data are n (%)