Peri-Anaesthetic Complications in Obese versus Non-Obese Patients in a Country with Limited Resources: Retrospective Cohort Study

Background and Rationale: Anaesthesia in obese patients is characterised by the occurrence of complications due to comorbidities and physiological and pharmacological changes caused by obesity. This study investigated complications in anaesthesia of obese versus non-obese patients in the not-always-optimal conditions of limited resources. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at Monkole Hospital from 01/01/2011 to 31/12/2023 in obese versus non-obese patients (one-to-one ratio) anaesthetised for all surgery, excluding cardiac surgery. Peri-anaesthetic data up to hospital discharge were collected ethically and analysed with SPSS 26.0 for p Results: The sample comprised 2718 patients (1359 obese and 1359 non-obese). The mean age was comparable in both groups. A history of cardiovascular disease (p Conclusion: This study suggests that obesity is a risk factor for complications and mortality in anaesthesia, and therefore, the management of this type of patient must comply with the relevant recommendations in order to reduce this morbidity and mortality.