Reasons for elective surgery cancellation in a referral hospital

Case cancellation can be very distressing not only to the patient and relatives but also to health care professionals. This study aims at detecting the causes of case cancellations on the intended day of surgery (DOS) at a tertiary hospital in Enugu that handles both elective and emergency cases. The data was extracted retrospectively from the anesthetists' daily activity book during a period of 32 months. The reasons for cancellation were then sorted into one of 5 groups There were 226 causes of case cancellation. The commonest reasons for cancellation were unavailability of the surgeons (35.8%). Preventable causes of case cancellation were the most prominent.