Effectiveness of Perioperative Oxygen Therapy on Surgical Site Infection and Postoperative Pulmonary Complications: A Hospital-Based Study

Open Access

Abstract

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) and postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are major causes of postoperative morbidity and prolonged hospital stay. Perioperative oxygen therapy has been suggested as a simple and cost-effective strategy to improve tissue oxygenation and reduce infectious and respiratory complications, but evidence remains inconsistent, particularly in resource-limited settings. Methods & Materials: This hospital-based comparative observational study was conducted in the Department of Anaesthesia, Analgesia and Intensive Care Medicine at Bangladesh Medical University from January 2026 to March 2026. A total of 60 adult patients undergoing elective abdominal, orthopedic, urological and general surgeries under general anesthesia were included. Patients were grouped into standard oxygen therapy and high-concentration oxygen therapy groups. Data on SSI, PPCs and related risk factors were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: Surgical site infection was significantly lower in the high oxygen group compared to the standard group (9.4% vs 28.6%, p=0.048). Postoperative pneumonia (6.3% vs 17.9%) and atelectasis (9.4% vs 21.4%) were also less frequent in the high oxygen group, although not statistically significant. Mean hospital stay was significantly shorter in the high oxygen group (6.8 ± 2.1 vs 9.1 ± 2.8 days, p=0.012). Age above 50 years (p=0.049), diabetes mellitus (p=0.037) and prolonged surgery duration (>4 hours, p=0.021) were significantly associated with postoperative complications. Conclusion: Perioperative high-concentration oxygen therapy was associated with reduced surgical site infection and improved postoperative recovery, including shorter hospital stay. Larger randomized studies are recommended to confirm these findings.