Standardized application of complication metrics guides surgical reporting

The study reviewed the increasing integration of the Clavien-Dindo Classification (CDC) and Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI®) in 1,327 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), revealing a rise of over 200 new RCTs annually. However, only one-third of the published RCTs included the entire CDC grading scale. A survey among 163 surgeons resulted in a consensus for improved guidelines on reporting complications, emphasizing that separate counts for interconnected complications should be standardized for better outcomes.