Nutritional Status and its Relationship to Wound Healing After Maxillofacial Surgery Among Children at Abia State University Teaching Hospital

Adequate nutritional status is a critical determinant of wound healing, immune function, and postoperative recovery in pediatric surgical patients. Malnourished children undergoing maxillofacial surgical procedures, including cleft repair, tumor excision, and trauma debridement, are at elevated risk of postoperative complications. This prospective observational study investigates the relationship between nutritional status and wound healing outcomes in pediatric patients who underwent maxillofacial surgical procedures at Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba, South East Nigeria. Thirty-eight children aged two to twelve years were enrolled. Nutritional assessment included weight-for-age z-scores, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), serum albumin, and hemoglobin levels measured preoperatively. Wound assessment was performed at one, two, and four weeks post-surgery using a standardized wound healing tool. Results indicate that 44.7% of children were malnourished by at least one anthropometric measure, and these children demonstrated significantly delayed wound healing and higher rates of wound dehiscence. Serum albumin below 3.0 g/dL was the strongest predictor of adverse wound outcomes. The study recommends that nutritional optimization through preoperative dietary supplementation should be integrated into the perioperative protocol for pediatric maxillofacial surgery across South East Nigerian teaching hospitals. Collaboration between pediatric nutritionists and oral surgeons is essential to improve surgical outcomes for this vulnerable population. Keywords: nutritional status, wound healing, pediatric surgery, maxillofacial, Aba.