Table 1.

Classification of surgical complications

Grade1	Definition
I	Any deviation from the normal postoperative course without the need for pharmacologic treatment or surgical, endoscopic, and radiologic interventions
	Allowed therapeutic regimens are drugs as antiemetics, antipyretics, analgesics, diuretics, electrolytes, and physiotherapy. This grade also includes wound infections opened at the bedside
II	Requiring pharmacologic treatment with drugs other than such allowed for grade I complications
	Blood transfusions and total parenteral nutrition are also included
III	Requiring surgical, endoscopic, or radiologic intervention
IIIa	Intervention not under general anesthesia
IIIb	Intervention under general anesthesia
IV	Life-threatening complication (including CNS complications)2 requiring IC/ICU management
IVa	Single organ dysfunction (including dialysis)
IVb	Multiorgan dysfunction
V	Death of a patient

From Dindo et al. [22]

CNS central nervous system, IC intermediate care, ICU intensive care unit

¹The suffix “d” (for “disability”) is added to the respective complication grade if the patient suffers from a complication at the time of discharge. It indicates the need for follow-up to evaluate the complication fully

²Brain hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, subarachnoidal bleeding but excluding transient ischemic attacks