What can increase the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications?

Smoking and obesity are significant risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications due to their direct impact on the respiratory system. Smoking can lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and decreases lung function, making patients more susceptible to complications such as pneumonia and atelectasis after surgery. Additionally, obesity can affect lung mechanics by limiting lung expansion, reducing functional residual capacity, and increasing the work of breathing. This combination can contribute to hypoxemia and increased carbon dioxide retention, thereby heightening the risk of respiratory failure and other pulmonary complications during the postoperative period.

In contrast, increased physical activity after surgery typically aids in recovery, while factors like age and gender, although associated with varying risk levels, are less directly influential on pulmonary outcomes than lifestyle factors such as smoking and obesity. Limited dietary intake before surgery is related more to nutritional status rather than directly to pulmonary function postoperatively.