Assessing Survival and Grading the Severity of Complications in Octogenarians Undergoing Pulmonary Lobectomy

Table 2

Complications categorized by the Seely thoracic morbidity and mortality classification system.

Grade	Patients; /45 (%)	Definition of complication	Complication description (/48, %)
I	2 (4.4%)	Complication that does not require any intervention	Asymptomatic vocal cord paralysis (1, 2.1%), urinary retention (1, 2.1%), ileus (2, 4.2%)
II	10 (22.2%)	Pharmacologic therapy or minor intervention required	Atrial fibrillation (14, 29.2%, with 10 being new onset; 10/48, 20.8%), esophagitis (2, 4.2%), new home O2 (4, 8.3%), serious electrolyte disturbance (1, 2.1%), acute kidney injury (1, 2.1%), chyle leak (1, 2.1%)
IIIA	9 (20%)	Interventions not requiring general anesthesia	Home with chest tube (1, 2.1%) stroke (1, 2.1%), bleeding not requiring transfusion (1, 2.1%), development of a PTX requiring drainage (1, 2.1%), chest tube duration > 5 days (10, 20.8%)
IIIB	3 (6.7%)	Interventions requiring general anesthesia	Return to OR: postoperative hemorrhage (2, 4.2%), fracture fixation after fall (1, 2.1%)
IV	3 (6.7%)	Complication requiring ICU support, reintubation, single or multisystem organ failure	MI (2, 4.2%), pneumonia (4, 8.3%), respiratory failure (1, 2.1%)
V	1 (2.2%)	Any complication leading to death	Multiorgan failure (1, 2.1%)

Several patients had more than 1 complication and are listed in the category corresponding to the complication with the highest Seely grade.
Complications are listed individually in this column and many include multiple complications in the same patient(s).
The four patients with preexisting atrial fibrillation were not included in the complication rate.
O₂: oxygen, OR: operating room, and MI: myocardial infarction.