💉 ASA Physical Status Classification
ASA Physical Status classification for preoperative risk communication, from I (healthy) to VI (brain-dead donor).
ASA class correlates with perioperative risk but is not the sole determinant — surgery type, anesthesia, and urgency also matter (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim).
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When to use
Use before surgery to assign a physical-status class and append 'E' for emergencies, supporting anesthetic risk discussion.
How it works
ASA I healthy; II mild systemic disease; III severe but not incapacitating; IV severe, constant threat to life; V moribund; VI brain-dead donor; add 'E' for emergency procedures.
Key points
- ASA class correlates with perioperative risk but is not the sole determinant — surgery type, anesthesia, and urgency also matter (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim).
- Assignment carries inter-rater subjectivity, especially for class II vs III.
- The 'E' modifier captures the added risk of emergency surgery independent of the underlying class.
References
- ASA Physical Status Classification System.
- Mayhew D, et al. ASA physical status review. Anaesthesia 2019.
Worked calculation
The values below come from this tool's own example placeholders and are computed server-side with the formula shown on this page, so the arithmetic can be checked quickly. It demonstrates how to substitute values only — it is not clinical advice and not a real case.
| Physical status | I: Healthy, no systemic disease |
|---|---|
| Emergency surgery (add E) | Yes |
→ClassASA IE
- Note：Relatively low perioperative risk
| Physical status | VI: Brain-dead organ donor |
|---|---|
| Emergency surgery (add E) | No |
→ClassASA VI
- Note：High risk, needs multidisciplinary input and informed discussion
Frequently asked questions
- What is ASA Physical Status Classification?
- ASA Physical Status classification for preoperative risk communication, from I (healthy) to VI (brain-dead donor).
- How is ASA Physical Status Classification calculated? What is the core formula?
- ASA I healthy; II mild systemic disease; III severe but not incapacitating; IV severe, constant threat to life; V moribund; VI brain-dead donor; add 'E' for emergency procedures.
- When is ASA Physical Status Classification used?
- Use before surgery to assign a physical-status class and append 'E' for emergencies, supporting anesthetic risk discussion.
- What are the key clinical points for ASA Physical Status Classification?
- ASA class correlates with perioperative risk but is not the sole determinant — surgery type, anesthesia, and urgency also matter (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim). Assignment carries inter-rater subjectivity, especially for class II vs III. The 'E' modifier captures the added risk of emergency surgery independent of the underlying class.
- What are the limits and cautions when using ASA Physical Status Classification?
- For licensed clinicians and clinical researchers. Interpret results with history, investigations and local protocols; not a diagnosis or prescription, and not a substitute for multidisciplinary decision-making or local guidelines.
- How is ASA Physical Status Classification calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
- Inputs: Physical status I: Healthy, no systemic disease, Emergency surgery (add E) Yes → Result: Class ASA IE（Note: Relatively low perioperative risk） Inputs: Physical status VI: Brain-dead organ donor, Emergency surgery (add E) No → Result: Class ASA VI（Note: High risk, needs multidisciplinary input and informed discussion）