[Postoperative complications--what is often? What is rare?]

The postoperative course after major (elective) digestive surgical procedures was prospectively analysed in 5693 patients. Postoperative complications were documented in 553 patients (9.7%). There were general complications (not related to surgery) in 97 patients (17.5%) and surgical complications (related to surgery) in 456 patients (82.5%). The most frequent surgical complication was abdominal sepsis in 72.1% followed by postoperative bleeding (17.1%) and others (10.7%). The leading cause for abdominal sepsis was anastomotic leakage in 207 patients (70.2%). Bedside diagnostic procedures like sonography, analysis of fluid drainage and endoscopy could identify the underlying problem of abdominal sepsis in 60.9% of cases. The mortality rate of all studied patients was (113/5693 patients) 1.9%.