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Table 1 Classification of surgical complications

From: Clinical review: Can we predict which patients are at risk of complications following surgery?

Grade

Description

1

Minor complication that can be easily treated on the ward with simple procedures or medications (for example, intravenous catheter, nasogastric tube, anti-emetic, simple analgesic)

2

Postoperative transfusion or treatment with medications other than those simple agents permitted under grade 1

3a

Needing invasive therapy - either surgical, endoscopic or radiological without general anaesthesia

3b

Needing invasive therapy - either surgical, endoscopic or radiological with general anaesthesia

4a

Single-organ dysfunction requiring high-dependency unit/ICU admission

4b

Multiorgan dysfunction requiring high-dependency unit/ICU admission

5

Death

Suffix 'd'

Added if the patient is suffering from a complication at discharge

  1. Adapted from [11].