Evaluating neonatal surgical outcomes using the Clavien-Dindo classification: A multicentre study of complications and risk ractors in a middle-income country.

PURPOSE: Neonatal surgery in low- and middle-income countries can be complicated by limited resources, delayed presentations, and variability in neonatal intensive care. This study applied the Clavien-Dindo (CD) classification to evaluate postoperative complications in neonates across three tertiary centres in Malaysia, aiming to (1) establish baseline complication rates and (2) identify risk factors for severe morbidity and mortality in a middle-income context.

METHOD: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 278 neonates (≤28 days old or corrected age for preterms) who underwent surgery at three government hospitals between July 2020 and September 2021. Demographic data, surgical diagnoses, and 30-day postoperative complications were recorded. Complications were graded using the CD system, with Grades I-II considered minor and III-V considered major. Logistic regression identified predictors of major complications (CD ≥ III), with p < 0.05 as significant.

RESULTS

Among 278 neonates (mean 36 wk, range 25-42; 60 % term), 61 % underwent bowel surgery. Thirty-day morbidity was 20 % overall and 11 % major (CD ≥ III); CD IIIb re-operations were the commonest major event, and mortality was 4.3 %. Multivariable logistic regression identified intra-abdominal sepsis as the sole independent, modifiable predictor of major complications (adjusted OR 2.96, 95 % CI 1.09-7.84, p = 0.033). Extreme prematurity (<30 wk) carried a three-fold but borderline risk (OR 3.32, 0.96-10.89, p = 0.057), while birth-weight, surgeon seniority and centre HRPZ II were non-significant. Surgery at the rural SWACH centre showed lower major morbidity (OR 0.13, 0.02-0.54, p = 0.003), likely reflecting referral patterns.

CONCLUSION

The Clavien-Dindo classification proved practical for quantifying neonatal surgical complications and clarifying severity patterns in an LMIC setting. Prematurity emerged as the key determinant of adverse outcomes, underlining the importance of integrated neonatal care to mitigate perioperative risks. These findings provide benchmarks for quality improvement and resource allocation to enhance neonatal surgical care in resource-limited environments.