Abstract
AimTo investigate and present the reasons that cause the postponement of thoracic surgical operations.MethodsWe retrospectively included in the study all patients submitted to elective thoracic surgery in our department during the 4-year period 2007-2010 and noted all cases of postponement after official inclusion in the operating schedule.Results81 out of a total of 542 patients (14.9%) scheduled for elective thoracic operation had their procedure postponed. The reasons were mainly organisatory (in 42 cases, 51.85%), which in order of significance were: shortage in matching erythrocyte units, shortage in anaesthetic/nursing staff and unavailability in operating rooms. The rest of the cases (39, 48.1%) were postponed due to medical reasons, which in descending order of significance were: respiratory infections and exacerbations of COPD, cardiological problems, misregulation of antiplatelet/antithrombotic drugs and infections from other systems (gastrointestinal, urinary, etc.). Elderly male patients planned for major/oncologic surgery were most possible to have their operation postponed for medical reasons.Discussion-ConclusionsThoracic operations are postponed owed to organisatory as well as medical reasons, the latter mainly affecting elderly, morbid patients awaiting for major/oncologic surgery.
Highlights
With minor exceptions, operations belonging to the field of thoracic surgery constitute demanding procedures, sometimes stressful even for experienced surgeons
We retrospectively included in this epidemiologic analysis all patients prepared and scheduled for elective thoracic surgery in our department in the 4-year period 2007-2010, whose operation was postponed for any reason
This study deals with the important issue of postponement of thoracic operations, a mishappening that causes both psychological stress to the patients as well as enhanced hospitalization costs for the related health providing organization [1,2]
Summary
Operations belonging to the field of thoracic surgery constitute demanding procedures, sometimes stressful even for experienced surgeons. A procedure performed in this area of vital organs provokes a sense of anxiety and insecurity for the patients themselves, who are often psychologically burdened by serious comorbidities, as well as by a whole series of preoperative diagnostic tests and procedures. In this setting, the postponement of the operation for any reason, organisatory or medical, causes a great amount of extra stress, creating a psychological condition which sets obstacles to the flawless perioperative course of the patient [1,2].
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