CANCELLED ELECTIVE GENERAL SURGICAL OPERATIONS IN AYUB TEACHING HOSPITAL
Abstract
Background: Cancellation of operations in hospitals is a significant problem with far reachingconsequences. This study was planned to evaluate reasons for cancellation of elective surgicaloperation on the day of surgery in Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad. Methods: From July2006 to June 2007 the medical records of all the patients who had their operations cancelled onthe day of surgery in all the three General Surgical units of Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabadwere audited prospectively. The number of operation cancelled and reasons for cancellationswere documented. Results: 3756 patients were scheduled for surgery during the study period.2820(75%) patients were operated upon. 936 (25%) operations were cancelled out of which338(36%) were cancelled due to shortage of time, 296(31.6%) were cancelled due to medicalreasons, 152(16.2%) were cancelled due to shortage of beds while 55(5.8%) were cancelled dueto shortage of anaesthetists. Three operation lists were lost completely. The Anaesthetistcancelled 43%, Surgeon 39% while 18% of operations were cancelled due organizationalreasons. Conclusion: Cancellation of patients on operation lists occupy a substantial population(25%) of cases. Majority of cancellation were due to reasons other than patients medicalconditions. Better management could have avoided most of these cancellations.Keywords: Surgical Operations.References
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