Grade scale | Detailed description |
---|---|
Grade 1 | - Cough, dry - Microatelectasis: abnormal lung findings and temperature greater than 37.5 °C without other documented cause; results of chest radiograph indicates no new findings as compared to pre-operative result - Dyspnea, not due to other documented cause |
Grade 2 | - Cough, productive, not due to other documented cause - Bronchospasm: new wheezing or pre-existent wheezing resulting in change of therapy - Hypoxemia - Atelectasis: radiological confirmation plus either a temperature of more than 37.5 °C or abnormal lung findings - Hypercarbia, transient, requiring treatment, such as naloxone or increased manual or mechanical ventilation |
Grade 3 | - Pleural effusion, resulting in thoracentesis - Pneumonia, suspected: radiological evidence without bacteriological confirmation - Pneumonia, proven: radiological evidence and documentation of pathological organism by Gram stain or culture - Pneumothorax - Re-intubation postoperative or intubation, period of ventilator dependence (non-invasive or invasive ventilation) of not more than 48 h |
Grade 4 | Ventilatory failure: postoperative non-invasive ventilation dependence of at least 48 h or re-intubation with subsequent period of ventilator dependence of at least 48 h |