Postoperative pulmonary complications can be classified based on their severity.
Clinical parameters:
(1) cough
(2) atelectasis
(3) bronchospasm
(4) dyspnea and hypoxemia
(5) hypercarbia
(6) pneumonia
(7) pneumothorax
(8) pleural effusion
(9) intubation and ventilation
(10) adverse reaction to pulmonary medication
Clinical Parameter |
Finding |
Grade |
cough |
dry |
1 |
|
productive, not due to other cause |
2 |
atelectasis |
microatelectasis |
1 |
|
atelectasis |
2 |
bronchospasm |
new |
2 |
|
pre-existent and results in a change in therapy |
2 |
dyspnea |
not due to other documented cause |
1 |
|
with hypoxemia |
2 |
hypercarbia |
transient but requiring treatment |
2 |
pneumonia |
suspected |
3 |
|
proven |
3 |
pneumothorax |
present |
3 |
pleural effusion |
present, resulting in thoracentesis |
3 |
intubation and ventilation |
intubation postoperative with ventilator dependence <= 48 hours |
3 |
|
ventilator dependence > 48 hours |
4 |
adverse reaction to pulmonary medication |
any present |
2 |
where:
• Microatelectasis is associated with abnormal lung findings and a temperature > 37.5°C without other documented cause and with normal or unavailable chest X-ray.
• Atelectasis is associated with abnormal chest X-ray and either abnormal lung findings or a temperature > 37.5°C.
• Intubation may involve reintubation or continued use of tube placed for surgery.
Specialty: Pulmonology, Surgery, general
ICD-10: ,