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Table 1 Grade scale for postoperative pulmonary complications

From: Effects of intraoperative PEEP on postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic radical resection for bladder cancer or prostate cancer: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

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