HOW URGENT IS SURGERY? HOW RISKY?

The new guidelines classify the urgency of surgery as follows:

• Emergency (necessary within 6 hours) • Urgent (necessary within 6 - 24 hours) • Time-sensitive (can delay 1 - 6 weeks) • Elective (can delay up to 1 year). Surgical risk is now classified as either low (< 1% risk of major adverse cardiac events) or elevated (≥ 1%) on the basis of surgical and patient characteristics. Previous schemas included an intermediate-risk category. Low-risk procedures include endoscopic procedures, superficial procedures, cataract surgery, breast surgery, and ambulatory surgery. Elevated-risk procedures include vascular surgery, intraperitoneal and intrathoracic surgery, head and neck surgery, orthopedic surgery, and prostate surgery.