Does Obesity Affect Peri-operative and Post-operative Outcomes in Urological Oncological Surgeries?

Abstract

Skandh Bhatia*, K Veena L Karanth and Padmaraj Hegde

Background: Obesity has a lengthy and well-established track record as a problematic health condition. Obesity affects not just the post-operative outcomes but also augments the severity of the disease to be tackled in the first place. As there is a dearth of research on the topic of the impact of obesity on peri-operative and post-operative outcomes in uro-oncological procedures, the present study aims to fill that void, with a focus on the Asian population.

Methods: A single centre prospective observational study which was conducted in the Department of Urology, Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, Manipal, on all patients undergoing surgery for urological malignancy from February 2021 to October 2022. A structured proforma was used for data collection.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that patients with a BMI (Body Mass Index) in excess of the normal range are at a higher risk for complications after uro-oncological surgeries; however, obesity itself should not be considered a contraindication for any urological intervention, as most such interventions in obese individuals have a decent outcome. We emphasize, however, the need for more multi-site studies with sizable samples to corroborate our findings.