Vol. 5, Issue 2, Part A (2023)

Background: Malnutrition is common among patients undergoing surgical procedures involving the digestive system in Iraq, and has some bearing on surgical outcomes. There is a scarcity of research looking at the role of preoperative nutrition in the Iraqi health care environment.
Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of preoperative nutritional optimization on surgical recovery outcomes in surgical patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgical procedures in Iraqi hospitals.
Methods: The study was a prospective cohort study conducted between January 2023 and December 2023 at a private hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. A total of 284 patients scheduled for elective gastrointestinal surgery were recruited. After enrollment, patients were placed in either the intervention group (N=142) which received 7-14 days of preoperative nutritional support, or in the control group (N=142) which received standard care only. Primary outcomes consisted of normal in study postoperative complications, Normative Length of Stay (LOS) during postoperative recovery, and wound healing. Secondary outcomes included readmissions and deaths during study.
Results: Overall, the intervention group experienced statistically fewer postoperative complications (18.3% vs. 31.7%, p<0.01), experienced shorter LOS (7.2±2.8 days vs. 9.6±4.1 days, p<0.001), and demonstrated higher postoperative wound healing. The incidence of surgical site infections was lower among the intervention group (N=4 vs. N=7) with an overall lower incidence by 42%. The two groups had no statistical differences for the measure of mortality.
Conclusion: Preoperative nutritional optimization has a positive impact on improving surgical recovery outcomes for patients undergoing surgical procedures involving the digestive system in the Iraqi healthcare environment, and further supports the implementation of routine preoperative nutritional screening and intervention protocols.