TITLE:
Post-Operative Complications in Gastrointestinal Surgery at Kamenge University Teaching Hospital
AUTHORS:
Jean Claude Mbonicura, Steve Nkurunziza, Amour Iturimbere, Didier Kamatari, François Nduwimana
KEYWORDS:
Postoperative Complications, Digestive Surgery, Surgical Site Infection, Emergency Surgery, Clavien-Dindo Classification
JOURNAL NAME:
Surgical Science,
Vol.17 No.5,
May
11,
2026
ABSTRACT: Background: Postoperative complications in gastrointestinal surgery remain a major public health concern, particularly in low-resource settings, where they significantly affect morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. This study aimed to assess the epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics of postoperative complications at Kamenge University Teaching Hospital. Methods: We conducted a prospective descriptive study over a 12-month period (October 2024 to September 2025) in the Department of Visceral and Digestive Surgery. All patients who developed at least one postoperative complication following gastrointestinal surgery were included. Data were collected using a standardized form and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Results: Among 416 operated patients, 71 developed postoperative complications, yielding a prevalence of 17.06%. The mean age was 28.2 ± 23.9 years, with a male predominance (59.15%). Emergency surgery accounted for 83.09% of cases. Infectious complications were the most common, particularly surgical site infections (38.88%), followed by postoperative peritonitis (27.77%) and septic shock (20.37%). Non-infectious complications included malnutrition (27.5%) and anastomotic leakage (20%). Escherichia coli was the predominant pathogen (75%). Severe complications (Clavien-Dindo grade IIIb and V) were frequent, and the mortality rate reached 30.98%. The mean hospital stay was 41.18 days. Conclusion: Postoperative complications are frequent and severe at Kamenge University Teaching Hospital, with a predominance of infectious complications and high mortality. Emergency surgery and suboptimal perioperative practices appear to be major contributing factors. Strengthening perioperative care and adherence to evidence-based protocols are essential to improve surgical outcomes.