Table 2.

System-specific complication outcome measures

Cardiovascular
Angina (exacerbation)	Increase in chest pain requiring start or increase of medications
Arterial thrombosis/embolism	Include peripheral arterial thrombosis or embolism (not including stroke) (not including stroke) demonstrated by CT, MRI or angiography
Arrythmia	Any cardiac arrhythmia demonstrated on an ECG, except sinus tachycardia and sinus arrhythmia
Hypertension	Increase in systolic blood pressure requiring start or increase of medications
Myocardial ischaemia	Include ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and unstable angina. Diagnosis must have been confirmed following review of the patient by a cardiologist/on-call medical team
Venous thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis (DVT)	Peripheral venous thrombosis demonstrated by ultrasound, CT, MRI or angiography
Venous thrombosis, other	Venous thrombosis of the abdominal venous systems, including the coeliac, splenic, hepatic and mesenteric veins. Thrombosis should be demonstrated by CT or MRI
Metabolic
Hypoglycaemia	Low blood sugar requiring intervention
Hyperglycaemia	High blood sugar requiring increase or start of new medications
Hypokalaemia	Low serum potassium requiring intervention
Hyperkalaemia	High serum potassium requiring intervention
Hypomagnesaemia	Low serum magnesium requiring intervention
Hyponatraemia	Low serum sodium requiring intervention. Include syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH)
Hypernatraemia	High serum sodium requiring intervention
Hypophosphatemia	Low serum phosphate requiring intervention
Neurological
Head injury	Include extradural haemorrhage, subdural haemorrhage, subarachnoid haemorrhage, cerebral contusion demonstrated on CT or MRI
Stroke/TIA,	Include transient ischaemic attack (TIA), ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke. Diagnosis must have been confirmed following review of the patient by a stroke physician/on call medical team
Renal
Acute kidney injury	Acutely deranged renal function, with serum creatine increased to at least 1.5 times greater than the most recent preoperative baseline
Urinary retention	Failure to pass urine, requiring urinary catheterisation
Urinary tract infection (UTI)	The patient has had clinical evidence of urinary tract infection. UTI must be proven by mid-stream/catheter specimen culture
Respiratory
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)	Respiratory failure not explained by cardiac failure or fluid overload, with chest radiograph or CT scan demonstrating bilateral opacities not fully explained by effusions, lobar/lung collapse or nodules
Atelectasis	Collapse of part of the lung, confirmed by chest X-ray or CT scan
Haemothorax	Presence of blood in the pleural space, confirmed by chest X-ray or CT scan
Pleural effusion	Presence of fluid in the pleural space, confirmed by chest X-ray or CT scan
Pneumonia, aspiration	Pulmonary inflammation caused by infection, confirmed by chest X-ray or CT scan. Include pneumonias thought to be caused by aspiration of feed or fluid in to the lungs
Pneumonia, hospital acquired	Pulmonary inflammation caused by infection, confirmed by chest X-ray or CT scan. Include all pneumonias other than aspiration pneumonias
Pneumothorax	Presence of gas in the pleural space, confirmed by chest X-ray or CT scan
Pulmonary embolus	Include pulmonary emboli (PE) confirmed by CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) or ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scans
Pulmonary oedema	Fluid accumulation in the lung parenchyma, confirmed by chest X-ray or CT scan
Surgical
Abscess	Collection of fluid containing pus. Include any intra-abdominal or intrapelvic abscess, detected clinically, by ultrasound or CT scan and/or intraoperatively
Anastomotic leak	Include all anastomotic leaks. Include leaks detected by CT scan and/or intraoperatively; and leaks managed conservatively or surgically
Bile duct injury	Intraoperative injury to the bile ducts requiring further postoperative management
Bile leak	Include all bile leaks. Include leaks detected by CT scan and/or intraoperatively; and leaks managed conservatively or surgically
Bladder injury	Intraoperative injury to the bladder requiring further postoperative management
Chylothorax	Presence of lymphatic fluid in the pleural space, confirmed by chest X-ray or CT scan
Clostridium difficile	C. difficile infection must be confirmed by detection of C. difficile toxin in faeces
Enterotomy	Accidental surgical incision in to the bowel. Include leaks from enterotomies detected by CT scan and/or intraoperatively; and leaks managed conservatively or surgically
Haematoma	Collection of fluid-containing blood, diagnosed clinically or by ultrasound or CT scan
Haemorrhage, reactionary	Haemorrhage from operative sites within 48 h of operation
Haemorrhage, secondary	Haemorrhage from operative sites after 48 h of operation
Ileus	Delay to return to normal gut function, defined as intolerance to solid food and/or failure to pass flatus >3 days following operation
Ischaemic colitis	Inflammation of the colon caused by inadequate blood supply, diagnosed clinically, by CT scan and/or intraoperatively
Postoperative nausea	Postoperative nausea requiring intervention
Seroma	Collection of serous fluid, diagnosed clinically or by ultrasound or CT scan
Splenic injury	Intraoperative injury to the spleen requiring further postoperative management
Upper gastrointestinal (upper GI) bleed	Include upper GI bleed of any aetiology other than haemorrhage from operative sites (select ‘haemorrhage, reactionary/secondary’ for these)
Ureteric injury	Intraoperative injury to the ureters requiring further postoperative management
Wound dehiscence	Rupture of a surgical wound along the suture line
Wound infection	We advise adherence to the Centre for Disease Control's definition of surgical site infection, which is any one of: Purulent drainage from the incision At least two of: pain or tenderness; localised swelling; redness; heat; fever; AND The incision is opened deliberately to manage infection or the clinician diagnoses a surgical site infection Wound organisms AND pus cells from aspirate/swab
Miscellaneous
Blood stream infection	An infection not related to infection at another site, with a recognised pathogen cultured from blood cultures which is not related to an infection at another site
Cellulitis	Bacterial infection involving the skin
Central line infection	Infected peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) or central lines, confirmed by culture of line tip
Fracture	Any fracture sustained postoperatively, diagnosed by plain film X-ray, CT or MRI
Peripheral line infection	Localised cellulitis (erythaema and swelling) around a peripheral cannula insertion site
Pressure sore	Decubitus ulcers, localised injuries to the skin and/or underlying tissue as a result of pressure usually over a bony prominence
Other	Please enter free text