Unscheduled Return to the Operating Theatre after Major Head and Neck Surgery and Free Flap Repair

Abstract

Introduction: Quality improvement in surgery is a healthcare policy priority. Benchmark metrics of importance to the patient experience and/or healthcare expenditure are key criterion. Unscheduled return to the operating theatre (URTT) is associated with increased healthcare costs, disrupts the efficient delivery of care to other patient groups, and is a poor patient experience. The aims of this study are to measure the incidence and preoperative predictors of URTT and to establish the clinical reasons for URTT so that care practices designed to reduce their occurrence can be targeted.