[Evaluating the prevalence of canceling surgical operations, including its influening factors at Imam Khomeini hospital in Sari duing 2006-2007]

Hospital admission for surgery is an important event for patients. Canceling surgical procedures produce several unpleasant results for patients such as waste of time, including payment. The aim of this study is to identify the prevalence and causes of canceling surgical procedures, in order to achieve problem solving methods. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. Statistical data regarding all surgical procedures [without sampling] performed during 2006 to 2007, were recorded in a checklist. Study variables were identified based on surgical procedures that were canceled during this study. Data was analyzed using SPSS software and statistical analysis tests. Of 4,711 scheduled patients, 510 [109%] surgical operations were canceled. The highest number of patient candidates for surgical operation was related to gynecology, orthopedic, urology, while the least were related to reconstructive and vascular surgery groups respectively. The most canceled surgical procedures were related to neurosurgical operation 32/4% [68 from 207 cases] while the least canceled cases belonged to gynecology 4/4% [48 from 1094 cases]. The results of our study showed that 54/2% of canceled cases were preventable. The results of this study and similar studies demonstrate that traditional pre-operative preparation for surgical scheduling, day before surgery is in need of serious consideration. We recommend a fundamental change by discarding traditional methods and creating a new committee including specialized bed or resource groups, monthly management meetings to discuss causes of canceling surgical procedures, in order to reduce its occurrence. Thus, decreasing the rate of canceling surgical operations can save hospital financial resources, preventing time wasted, while reducing anxiety in patients and their family

[Burn death rate among hospitalized patients in Zare' teaching hospital of Mazandaran medical University, Sari, Iran [2002-04]]

Burning is a general health problem and is also a global injury as well as a very serious sanitary issue in industrial and developing countries. In its severe form, burning can claim lives. It seems essential in every society to analyze burning, to study the causes of burning, treatment outcomes and the death rates, etc. to find proper preventive measures. In this cross-sectional study, the medical records of all patients who were hospitalized and finally deceased during the years 2002 and 2004 in Zare' teaching hospital, Sari, were examined. Some variables including the age span average, the degree and percentage of burning, patients' residence, gender, the cause of burning [i.e. boiling water, fire, acids and explosives], average hospitalization period, surgery and also the abundance of self - burning attempts were examined. This study indicate that during these 3 years the total number of those who died from burns was 506 [23.4%]. The residential places were in Mazanderan province [41.7%], Golestan province [41.4%], and Gilan province [10.2%]. The abundance of burning ranges as below: The 2 and 3 degree of burning at 91.8%. Regarding the percentage of burns, 31.7% of abundance pertains to burning at 90% and more. The greatest external causes leading to burns are petrol, gas, and gas oil at 57.9%. Also, the percentage of burns does not have much influence on death rate among 50 - year - olds and older people. This study indicated that the importance of death between burned patient in special sex and age. To establish hospitals, some issues must be considered as: distance, transportation, route dangers, characteristics of area, existing epidemiological survey, and finally the epidemics and event statistics