Postoperative Complications

Patients consistently rank complication prevention among the most important surgical outcomes. The FAST Walk primary outcome uses a Clavien-Dindo grade II or higher threshold, which is broader than the traditional grade III cutoff and captures clinically meaningful morbidity that would otherwise be missed. Postoperative complications carry substantial consequences including increased mortality, impaired functional recovery, and higher healthcare costs. Among older adults undergoing major surgery, the postoperative complication rate rises to nearly one in four.