Association Between Prolonged Operative Time and Postoperative Adverse Events in Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery in Pakistan

Authors

  • Tania Amjad Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of South Asia, Lahore, Pakistan
  • Sidra Afzal University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v6i9.2046

Keywords:

Adverse events; operative duration; Pakistan; spine surgery; postoperative complications; SAVES-V2

Abstract

Background: Longer operative duration has been associated with complications following spinal procedures, but locally reported evidence from Pakistan remains limited. Objective: To examine the association between operative duration of at least 3 hours and adverse events among patients undergoing spine surgery. Methods: This prospective observational cohort study included 60 patients undergoing spine surgery at Johar Child Poly Clinic, Lahore, Pakistan. Age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), operative duration, and adverse events classified using the Spinal Adverse Events Severity System, version 2 (SAVES-V2), were recorded. Operative time was categorized as <3 hours or ≥3 hours. The primary outcome was occurrence of at least one intraoperative or postoperative adverse event. Group comparisons and crude logistic regression were used. Results: Mean age was 55.8 ± 10.6 years, and 42 participants (70.0%) were male. Operations lasted <3 hours in 26 patients and ≥3 hours in 34. At least one adverse event occurred in 21 patients (35.0%): 5/26 (19.2%) in the shorter-duration group versus 16/34 (47.1%) in the longer-duration group (Fisher's exact p = 0.031). The crude odds ratio (OR) was 3.73 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14–12.21). The reported crude associations were OR 3.21 (95% CI 1.01–10.24) for early postoperative events and OR 2.68 (95% CI 0.72–9.93) for late postoperative events. Conclusion: Operative duration of at least 3 hours was associated with a greater occurrence of perioperative adverse events in this cohort. The association may partly reflect procedural complexity and other unmeasured factors. Keywords: Adverse events; operative duration; Pakistan; spine surgery; postoperative complications; SAVES-V2.

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Published

2026-09-30

How to Cite

Tania Amjad, & Sidra Afzal. (2026). Association Between Prolonged Operative Time and Postoperative Adverse Events in Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery in Pakistan. Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research, 6(9), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v6i9.2046

Issue

Volume 6, Issue 9 (September 2026)

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Tania Amjad, Sidra Afzal

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