Nursing care for perioperative diabetic patients in the aspect of postoperative complications

Aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence and type of complications in perioperative diabetic patients compared with non-diabetic patients.

Material and methods: The study involved 61 patients with diabetes and 44 non-diabetic patients after surgery. Two research tools were used for the study: a sheet for collecting medical records and a review of medical records and a Health Behavior Inventory.

Results: With respect to the Health Behavior Inventory and its two parameters: correct eating habits and health practices, diabetes was significantly higher in comparison to those without diabetes (p < 0.05).

Postoperative complications such as nausea, vomiting, surgical site infection (SSI), urinary tract infection, elevated blood pressure, gastrointestinal fistula and body temperature increase were assessed in the postoperative course. There were no statistically significant differences in the occurrence of individual complications (p > 0.05) between the two groups. In the group of patients with diabetes, postoperative nausea and vomiting occurred in 18.03%, SSI in 21.31%, urinary tract infection in 6.56%, increase in blood pressure in 14.75%, presence of gastroesophageal fistula in 1, 64%, and body temperature increase in 4.92%.

Conclusions:

The number of postoperative complications was not significantly different in the two groups compared: in diabetic patients and in non-diabetic patients.

Diabetes patients have a higher level of health behaviors compared to non-diabetic patients.

Infections in the form of infection of the surgical site occurred in diabetic patients more frequently compared to other postoperative complications.