Impact of postoperative intensive care unit utilization on postoperative outcomes in adults undergoing major elective noncardiac surgery.

•Whether higher use of intensive care after major noncardiac surgery improves patient outcomes remains controversial.•Nephrectomy, lower gastrointestinal and peripheral arterial disease surgeries were studied using a population cohort design.•Validated patient-centered outcome of days alive and out of hospital was studied as the main outcome.•Hospitals with higher use of postoperative ICU showed no benefits on days alive and out of hospital.