Nutritional status and postoperative complications in an Australian hospital

A simple nutritional assessment was performed in 92 consecutive patients undergoing abdominal surgery, excluding appendicitis. The patients were given a nutritional score, and on the basis of that score were described as malnourished or normal. There was a statistically significant increase in postoperative complications in the malnourished group. This increase was observed in both the major and the minor complication groups, and also when septic and non-septic, and wound and non-wound, complications were considered.