Obesity and Outcomes After Surgery for Thoracoabdominal and Abdominal Gunshot Injuries

This retrospective observational study evaluated whether obesity was associated with outcomes after surgery for thoracoabdominal or isolated abdominal gunshot injuries. Adult patients who underwent surgery for these injuries at a referral trauma center between 2020 and 2025 were included. Patients were grouped according to body mass index, with obesity defined as a body mass index of 30 kg/m² or higher. Clinical characteristics, injury-related variables, perioperative findings, postoperative complications, need for reoperation, intensive care unit stay, mechanical ventilation, hospital stay, and mortality were evaluated. The study aimed to determine whether outcomes differed between patients with and without obesity and to identify factors associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality.

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Key information

Conditions

Gunshot Wound Abdominal Injuries Body Weight Nutrition Disorders Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Obesity Obesity & Overweight Overnutrition Overweight Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Wounds and Injuries Wounds, Gunshot Wounds, Penetrating

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital

Istanbul, Bakirkoy, 34147, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

This was a single-center retrospective observational cohort study of adult patients who underwent surgery for thoracoabdominal or isolated abdominal gunshot injuries at a referral trauma center between 2020 and 2025.

Patients aged 18 years or older were eligible for inclusion. Patients who died in the emergency department, arrived without signs of life, had an Abbreviated Injury Scale score of 3 or greater in another body region, or were transferred from another hospital were excluded.

Patients were categorized according to obesity status. Obesity was defined as a body mass index of 30 kg/m² or higher, and outcomes were compared with those of patients with a body mass index below 30 kg/m².

Data collected from medical records included demographic characteristics, injury-related variables, initial physiological and laboratory findings, perioperative characteristics, blood transfusion requirements, operative duration, gastrointestinal interventions, stoma creation, postoperative complications, need for reoperation, duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit length of stay, total hospital length of stay, and mortality. The shock index was calculated as heart rate divided by systolic blood pressure at emergency department admission.

Postoperative morbidity was defined as any postoperative complication with a Clavien-Dindo grade of IIIa or higher. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate factors independently associated with morbidity and mortality, with obesity included as the primary exposure variable.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Age 18 years or older. Underwent surgery for a thoracoabdominal or isolated abdominal gunshot injury at the study center between 2020 and 2025.

Exclusion criteria

Death in the emergency department before surgery. Arrival without signs of life. Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score of 3 or greater in a body region other than the thoracoabdominal or abdominal region of interest.

Transfer from another hospital.

Treatment and study plan

Obesity Status

Other

Obesity status was determined from body mass index (BMI). Patients with a BMI of 30 kg/m² or higher were classified as having obesity, and patients with a BMI below 30 kg/m² were classified as non-obese. Obesity status was an observed exposure and was not assigned by the investigators.

Primary outcomes

Major Postoperative Morbidity

Time frame: Within 30 days after surgery

Occurrence of one or more postoperative complications classified as Clavien-Dindo grade IIIa or higher.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Research and Training Hospital

Other Gov

Registry information

Official study title

Association Between Obesity and Outcomes After Surgery for Thoracoabdominal and Isolated Abdominal Gunshot Injuries

Important dates

Study start: 2026
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Aug 27, 2026
Registry last updated: Aug 27, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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