title: Case review analysis of operating room decisions to cancel surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancellation of surgery close to scheduled time causes a waste of healthcare resources. The current study analyzes surgery cancellations occurring after the patient has been prepared for the operating room, in order to see whether improvements in the surgery planning process may reduce the number of cancellations.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective chart review of operating room surgery cancellations during the period from 2006 to 2011, cancellations were divided into the following categories: inadequate NPO; medical; surgical; system; airway; incomplete evaluation. The relative use of these reasons in relation to patient age and surgical department was then evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one percent of cancellations were for other than medical reasons. Among these, 17.7% were due to incomplete evaluation, and 8.2% were due to family issues. Sixty seven percent of cancelled cases eventually received surgery. The relative use of individual reasons for cancellation varied with patient age and surgical department. The difference between cancellations before and after anesthesia was dependent on the causes of cancellation, but not age, sex, ASA status, or follow-up procedures required.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Almost half of the cancellations were not due to medical reasons, and these cancellations could be reduced by better administrative and surgical planning and better communication with the patient and/or his family.
authors: Ju-Hsin
authors: JH
authors: Chang
authors: Ke-Wei
authors: KW
authors: Chen
authors: Kuen-Bao
authors: KB
authors: Chen
authors: Kin-Shing
authors: KS
authors: Poon
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, 2 Yuh-Der Rd,, Taichung 40447, Taiwan. u402053@gmail.com.
authors: Shih-Kai
authors: SK
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D055815:Young Adult