Definition and Classification of Postoperative Complications After Cardiac Surgery: Pilot Delphi Study.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Surgical Outcomes
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Postoperative complications after cardiac surgery are frequent and burdensome.
• A lack of expert consensus exists on defining and grading these complications.
• Standardized definitions are needed for improved clinical processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a consensus-based definition and classification system for postoperative complications in cardiac surgery.
• To pilot the development of standardized clinical processes for complication management.
• To facilitate progression in cardiac surgery systems.

Main Methods:

• A two-round Delphi study involving domain experts (cardiac anesthetists, critical care specialists).
• Surveys were used to gather expert opinions on defining and classifying complications.
• Thematic analysis was applied to open-ended survey responses.

Main Results:

• Consensus was achieved on a generic definition of postoperative complications in cardiac surgery.
• Agreement was reached on a 4-level classification: Mild, Moderate, Severe, and Death.
• Definitions for "Mild" and "Severe" complications were established.

Conclusions:

• Domain experts agreed on definitions for "Mild" and "Severe" cardiac surgery complications.
• Standardized identification and reporting of complications can enhance quality benchmarks, audits, and research.
• This standardization supports better care quality assessment, resource planning, and risk management.