By Dr. Sanchari Sinha Dutta, Ph.D. Reviewed by Lauren Hardaker May 11 2026 Patients exposed to higher levels of fine particulate air pollution in the week before surgery faced greater odds of postoperative complications, offering new evidence that environmental exposures may influence surgical outcomes. Study: Bayesian Analysis of Postoperative Complication Risk Associated With Preoperative Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter: A Single-Center Cohort Study. Image credit: GUNMANPHOTO/Shutterstock.