Table 1.
Clavien-Dindo classification of surgical complications
| Grade | Definition | MBSAQIP variables |
|---|---|---|
| I | Any deviation from the normal postoperative course without the need for pharmacological treatment or surgical, endoscopic, and radiological interventions | Superficial incisional SSI |
| Dehydration treatment | ||
| Emergency department visit | ||
| Peripheral nerve injury | ||
| Allowed therapeutic regimens are the following: drugs as antiemetics, antipyretics, analgesics, diuretics, electrolytes, and physiotherapy. This grade also includes wound infections opened at the bedside | ||
| II | Requiring pharmacological treatment with drugs or other than such allowed for grade I complications | Pneumonia |
| Blood transfusion | ||
| Urinary tract infection | ||
| VTE requiring treatment | ||
| Blood transfusions and transfusions and total parenteral nutrition are also included | Anticoagulation for VTE/PE | |
| Clostridium difficile | ||
| III | Requiring surgical, endoscopic, or radiological intervention | Wound disruption |
| Incisional hernia | ||
| Deep incisional SSI | ||
| Organ space SSI | ||
| Drain placement after 30 days | ||
| Reoperation within 30 days | ||
| Intervention within 30 days | ||
| IV | Life-threatening complication (including CNS complications*) requiring IC/ICU management | Acute renal failure |
| Progressive renal insufficiency | ||
| Myocardial infarction | ||
| Stroke/CVA | ||
| Ventilator > 48 h | ||
| Unplanned intubation | ||
| Pulmonary embolism | ||
| Cardiac arrest | ||
| Coma > 24 h | ||
| Sepsis | ||
| Septic shock | ||
| V | Death of a patient | 30-day mortality |
*Brain hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, and subarachnoid bleed, but excluding transient ischemic attacks [25]
CVA cerebrovascular accident, CNS central nervous system, IC intermediate care, ICU intensive care unit, PE pulmonary embolism, SSI surgical site infection, VTE venous thromboembolism