Nomenclature and classification of complications. Standard procedure at Heidelberg University Orthopaedic Clinic

In order to get a better data management of complications in orthopedic sur gery and in order to get comparable statistics a standardisation of nomencl ature and classification of complications is demanded since 1.1.1997. The O rthopedic University Clinic of Heidelberg started with a register of all ea rly complications of all inpatients. According to a standardized nomenclatu re all occured complications the doctors put in the data of complications i n a database. These data were controlled, complemented and classified by me mbers of the quality menagement group. This guideline consists of five part s: catalogue of diagnoses, general and special definitions, classification and an allocation table of diagnoses to grades of severity.