Prevalence and Causes of Elective Surgical Procedure Cancellations at Aliabad Teaching Hospital, Kabul, Afghanistan: A Cross-sectional Study

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Published Jun 24, 2025
https://doi.org/10.70436/nuijb.v3i04.358
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Vol. 3 No. 04 (2024): December

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Mohammad Faird Rassuli
Kabul University

Abstract

Cancellation of elective surgical procedures is a persistent challenge in healthcare systems worldwide, leading to delays in treatment, resource wastage, and adverse clinical outcomes. Despite extensive research globally, data on surgical cancellations in Afghanistan remains scarce. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and causes of elective surgery cancellations at Aliabad Teaching Hospital (ATH) in Kabul.
A prospective hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at ATH, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, from September to December 2023. Patients aged 17 years or older scheduled for elective surgeries in general surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, and urology departments were included. Data on age, sex, surgical department, and reasons for cancellations were collected. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 26. Cancellation reasons were categorized as patient-related, hospital-related, surgeon-related, and anesthetist-related. A total of 621 elective surgical cases were scheduled during the study period, with a mean patient age of 42.3 years. Of these, 450 (72.4%) surgeries were successfully performed, and 171 (27.6%) cases were canceled. The highest cancellation rate was recorded in the General Surgery Department (37.7%), while Orthopedics had the lowest (19.8%). Monthly variations in cancellation rates were observed, with September having the highest rate (27.5%). Patient-related factors accounted for 35% of cancellations, followed by surgeon-related reasons (30.0%), administrative issues (21.0%), and anesthesia-related causes (14.0%). The most common patient-related cause was acute and chronic medical illnesses, accounting for 50.0% of cases. The study highlights a significant elective surgery cancellation rate at ATH, primarily driven by patient-related and surgeon-related factors. Addressing these issues through enhanced preoperative assessments, better communication, and efficient surgical scheduling could improve operating room efficiency and patient outcomes. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions and further research to reduce surgical cancellations and optimize healthcare delivery in Afghanistan.

Keywords

Aliabad, Teaching, Hospital, Reasons, cancellation, Surgery

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Author Biography

Mohammad Faird Rassuli, Kabul University

Department of Anesthesiology, Aliabad Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Kabul, Afghanistan

How to Cite
Rassuli, M. F. (2025). Prevalence and Causes of Elective Surgical Procedure Cancellations at Aliabad Teaching Hospital, Kabul, Afghanistan: A Cross-sectional Study. Nangarhar University International Journal of Biosciences, 3(04), 29–36. https://doi.org/10.70436/nuijb.v3i04.358

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