Background:

American College of Surgeons (ACS) developed the ACS NSQIP surgical risk calculator that predicts the results of elective and emergency surgical procedures. This tool has been useful improving the morbidity and mortality in hospitals in the United States and Canada.

Objective:

To evaluate the usefulness of the ACS NSQIP risk calculator for predicting postoperative complications in Mexican population.

Method:

Prospective, observational, analytical study. Patients undergoing abdominal surgery were recorded, 21 preoperative variables were captured and entered into the calculator. They were followed up to 30 days postoperatively, identifying 14 types of postoperative complications.

Results:

109 patients were registered. A comparison was made between the calculated and observed complications, obtaining a good correlation in the complications of cardiac arrest, surgical site infection, reoperation, sepsis and mortality (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

ACS NSQIP risk calculator is useful in the Mexican population, since the score obtained predicts most postoperative complications including mortality. The use of this tool offers an opportunity to improve decision-making in the care of the surgical patient.