Table 1.
Occurrence and severity of individual complications following surgery
| Complications | Total number | Severity of postoperative complications a | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| II | IIIa | IIIb | IVa | IVb | V | ||
| Stroke b | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Respiratory complications | 6 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Pulmonary infection c | 4 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Pleural effusion d | 2 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Cardiovascular complications | 3 | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| New onset arrhythmia e | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Acute myocardial infarction f | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Surgery-related complications | 6 | 3 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – |
| Surgical bleeding g | 3 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – |
| Ileus h | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Thromboembolic complications | 3 | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – |
| Pulmonary embolism i | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | – | – |
| Deep venous thrombosis j | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Hypoglycemia k | 9 | 9 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Urinary tract infection l | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
Data are number
a According to Clavien-Dindo classification
b Persisted new focal neurologic deficit and confirmed by neurologic imaging
c Presence of at least one of the following manifestations, i.e., increased or color-changed sputum, new or changed pulmonary infiltrates, fever, and leukocyte count > 12,000/mm3, and required antibiotic therapy
d Confirmed by chest X-ray or ultrasound examination and required drainage, aspiration, and/or diuresis after albumin administration
e New onset atrial fibrillation or paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia that necessitated antiarrhythmic therapy
f Concentration of cardiac troponin I exceed the diagnostic criteria for myocardial infarction as well as new Q waves (lasts for 0.03 s) or continuous (4 days) abnormal ST-T segment
g Bleeding after surgery that required secondary surgical hemostasis
h Lack of bowel movement, flatulence, and requirement of parenteral nutrition for more than 1 week after surgery
i Confirmed by computed tomographic pulmonary angiography
j Confirmed by deep venous ultrasonography
k Defined as a documented serum blood glucose level of less than 55 mg/dL
l Confirmed by urinalysis and urine culture and necessitated antibiotic therapy