PREVALENCE OF POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS AFTER GYNECOLOGIC SURGERY

Abstract

The prevalence of surgical complications in gynecological surgery varies depending on the population. The time of occurrence of complications may range from the time of surgery itself to several weeks after the procedure. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of postoperative complications after gynecologic surgeries and to identify the common complications after gynecologic surgeries.  This is a cross sectional hospital based study included 200 patients underwent various types of gynecologic procedures in Al-Sadaqa Teaching Hospital in Aden, from Jan.1st to Dec. 31st, 2020. The study included patients from 13 years to 80 years (mean age: 43.7 ± 13.2 years), subjected to any type of gynecologic procedures (major or minor) during the study period. The prevalence of postoperative complications after gynecology surgery was (30.5%) with minor more than major complications (86.9% vs. 13.1). Common complications were pain at site of operation (24.6%), fever (12.3%), nausea and vomiting (19.7%), SSI (8.2%), URTI (6.6%), and hematoma (4.9%). Significant higher percentage of postoperative complications were reported in association with major surgeries than with minor surgeries (95.1% vs. 4.9%, respectively) (p<0.05). Among major gynecologic surgeries, the common postoperative complications were reported significantly in association with abdominal hysterectomy (29.3%), vaginal hysterectomy (20.7%), uterine myomectomy (17.2%) and Colporrhaphy (12.1%). Among minor gynecologic surgeries, the common postoperative complications were reported in association with dilatation and curettage for biopsy (66.7%) and Clitorial abscess drainage (33.3%). Other minor gynecologic surgeries did not show any association to postoperative complications. This study concluded that postoperative complications are common after gynecologic surgeries, so that operated women need to be fully investigated and evaluated prior to elective gynecologic surgeries.