Table 3.

The Postoperative Morbidity Survey

Morbidity type	Criterion	Source of data
Respiratory	Postoperative need for oxygen or respiratory support	Patient observation, drug chart
Microbiology	Antibiotics or pyrexia >38°C in previous 24 hours	Observation chart, drug chart
Renal	Oliguria, raised serum creatinine, new urinary catheter	Fluid balance chart, biochemistry result, patient observation
Gastrointestinal	Failure of enteral feeding	Patient questioning, fluid balance chart, drug chart
Cardiovascular	Diagnostic tests or treatment within last 24 hours for any of:	Drug chart, note review
	new myocardial infarct or ischaemia, hypotension, arrhythmias,
	cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, thrombotic event
Neurological	Cerebrovascular accident/transient ischaemic attack, confusion,	Note review, patient questioning
	delirium, coma
Haematological	Use within last 24 hours of: packed red cells, platelets, fresh-frozen	Drug chart, fluid balance chart
	plasma, cryoprecipitate
Surgical wound	Wound dehiscence/infection needing exploration or drainage of pus	Note review, pathology result
Pain	New pain requiring parenteral opioids or regional analgesia/anaesthesia	Drug chart, patient questioning

Adapted from [6].