{
  "abstract": "Objectives The impact of climate change on health is well recognised, yet its influence on postoperative complications remains underexplored. This systematic review examines how climatic factors—particularly temperature, humidity and seasonal variations—affect surgical outcomes.Design Systematic review with narrative synthesis following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines.Data sources A comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library from June 2015 to June 2025 was conducted. An additional supplementary PubMed search was performed to identify further relevant studies.Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Included were studies published in English or German that examined associations between climatic factors, including temperature, humidity, precipitation or seasonality and postoperative outcomes in surgical patients. Studies without a surgical or climatic focus, animal studies, reviews and commentaries were excluded.Data extraction and synthesis Two reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data using predefined criteria. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Due to methodological heterogeneity, findings were synthesised narratively.Results Fifteen studies were included. High ambient temperatures were frequently associated with increased risks of surgical site infections (SSIs). Some large studies reported that even a one-degree rise significantly elevated infection rates. Humidity was also linked to higher infection rates, with evidence suggesting an independent effect in some cases. Seasonal changes influenced complication rates across regions and surgical disciplines, with infection and pneumonia peaks in summer or winter months. A few studies reported increased risks during heavy rainfall or institutional transitions such as the ‘July effect’.Conclusion Overall, elevated temperature and humidity appear to be associated with increased postoperative risks, especially SSIs. Seasonal patterns may further influence outcomes depending on geography and procedure type. While the available evidence supports a link between climate and surgical complications, methodological differences and limited adjustment for confounders highlight the need for more rigorous studies.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria"
      ],
      "name": "Elias Schnoell"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria"
      ],
      "name": "Emerson Monteiro"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria"
      ],
      "name": "Philipp Stiegler"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria"
      ],
      "name": "Robert Sucher"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria"
      ],
      "name": "Andreas Bogner"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Impact of climatic variables on postoperative outcomes in various surgical disciplines: a systematic review",
  "uid": "989a169b-03ae-5850-ba7e-e0c7ed3a67b0"
}