General Postoperative Complications
Key Concepts
- Complications following colorectal surgery are not infrequent, making recognition and treatment an important component of the care of postoperative patients.
- Assessment of risk factors (particularly modifiable factors) can help to estimate and reduce the risk of postoperative complications.
- Gastrointestinal complications are the most frequent complications after major abdominal operations and range from minor nausea/vomiting to ileus and bowel obstruction.
- Postoperative bleeding and transfusions are the second most common complication following colorectal surgery, and additional complications such as venous thromboembolism can have major impacts on patients and healthcare systems.
- Infectious complications following colorectal surgery include surgical site infections (SSIs) – which include both incisional and organ space infections, as well as postoperative urinary tract infections and pseudomembranous colitis.
- Pulmonary complications in colorectal surgical patients include pneumonia, aspiration, and postoperative respiratory failure requiring prolonged ventilation.
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Last updated: January 26, 2022
Citation
Chu, Daniel I, and David J Maron. "General Postoperative Complications." ASCRS Textbook of Colon and Rectal Surgery, 2022. ASCRS U, www.ascrsu.com/ascrs/view/ASCRS-Textbook-of-Colon-and-Rectal-Surgery/2285071/all/General_Postoperative_Complications.
Chu DI, Maron DJ. General Postoperative Complications. ASCRS Textbook of Colon and Rectal Surgery. 2022. https://www.ascrsu.com/ascrs/view/ASCRS-Textbook-of-Colon-and-Rectal-Surgery/2285071/all/General_Postoperative_Complications. Accessed June 4, 2023.
Chu, D. I., & Maron, D. J. (2022). General Postoperative Complications. In ASCRS Textbook of Colon and Rectal Surgery https://www.ascrsu.com/ascrs/view/ASCRS-Textbook-of-Colon-and-Rectal-Surgery/2285071/all/General_Postoperative_Complications
Chu DI, Maron DJ. General Postoperative Complications [Internet]. In: ASCRS Textbook of Colon and Rectal Surgery. ; 2022. [cited 2023 June 04]. Available from: https://www.ascrsu.com/ascrs/view/ASCRS-Textbook-of-Colon-and-Rectal-Surgery/2285071/all/General_Postoperative_Complications.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
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