Preoperative Bowel-Preparation Regimen and Postoperative Outcomes Across BMI in Elective Colectomy for Colon…

Cohort studyDiseases of the colon and rectum· Aug 2026

Preoperative Bowel-Preparation Regimen and Postoperative Outcomes Across BMI in Elective Colectomy for Colon Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

George L Wu, Nir Horesh, Rachel Ma … Yosef Nasseri

Colon & Rectal SurgeryCohort studyClinical practiceQ2IF 1.6

Combined bowel prep with oral antibiotics linked to lower surgical site infection risk after colectomy

Preoperative Bowel-Preparation Regimen and Postoperative Outcomes Across BMI in Elective Colectomy for Colon Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

George L Wu … Yosef Nasseri

Diseases of the colon and rectum · Aug 2026 · Q2 in Gastroenterology

Background

Surgical site infection remains a common complication after colectomy.

Purpose

To evaluate the association between preoperative bowel-preparation regimen and 30-day postoperative outcomes after elective colectomy for nonmetastatic colon cancer, and to assess whether these associations vary across BMI.

Methods

Adults undergoing elective colectomy for nonmetastatic colon cancer (N = 97,395).

n = 97,395

Results

combined bowel prep cut surgical site infection risk by nearly half

No preparation

8.7%

Combined mechanical +

5%

More results

In unadjusted analyses, surgical site infection occurred in 8.7% of patients with no bowel preparation and 5.0% with combined mechanical plus oral antibiotic bowel preparation.

Evidence of effect modification by BMI was limited (interaction p = 0.09 for surgical site infection, p = 0.26 for overall complications), including when stratified by resection site.

“

Conclusion · 1 of 2

Bowel-preparation regimens containing oral antibiotics were associated with lower 30-day surgical site infection and complication risk across the BMI continuum.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

These findings suggest that the effectiveness of oral antibiotic-containing bowel preparation is preserved across BMI levels. See Video Abstract .

Preoperative Bowel-Preparation Regimen and Postoperative Outcomes Across BMI in Elective Colectomy for Colon Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Preoperative Bowel-Preparation Regimen and Postoperative Outcomes Across BMI in Elective Colectomy for Colon Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

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