Why surgical operations are occasionally cancelled in LUTH, by CMD

• Nephrologist urges patronage of local facilities for kidney transplant

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof. Chris Bode has explained the reason why surgical operations are sometimes postponed in the institution.

He denied newspaper reports that shortage of consumables in the hospital was the cause of frequent cancellation of surgical operations. The CMD said cancellation of scheduled surgical operations could occur for various reasons in any hospital.

According to him: “These are broadly categorised into factors relating to patients, hospital systems and ‘acts of God’. In a number of studies at our centre, patients’ factors such as fever, upper respiratory tract infection, feeding on the day of the operation contrary to instructions or forgetting to turn up are some of the common reasons contributing to more than 45 per cent of cancellation of surgeries.

“Life-threatening emergencies can also be responsible. An unanticipated complication in an ongoing operation may as well lead to postponement of an earlier planned procedure.

“Just as with airline pilots who will not fly until convinced all bases have been covered, a surgeon will insist on optimal conditions for the outcome of his work. As a responsible hospital, we try our best to minimise the controllable variables such as patient factors and hospital-related factors. Within our means, equipment maintenance is given top priority and virtually no equipment is bought without plans to maintain it.”

The paediatric surgeon added that all consumable items needed by the hospital are usually purchased in bulk to avoid shortage. Meanwhile, the President of Nigerian Association ‎of Nephrologists, Prof. Babatunde Salako has asked Nigerians to shelve expensive medical trips abroad for kidney transplant and patronise local hospitals who can offer same services at reduced cost.

Salako gave the advice in Ile-Ife, Osun State during a press conference organised by the association as part of activities marking its 29th annual scientific conference and general meeting.