Unplanned Reoperation Following Gynaecological Surgeries: A report from Jordan

Unplanned return to the operating theatre refers to an unplanned reoperation following a primary surgical procedure and can result in serious complications. The rate of unplanned reoperations is often used as a measure of in-hospital quality monitoring and improvement. This study aimed to review the prevalence rate and features of unplanned gynaecological reoperations at a major general hospital in Jordan.

This retrospective study took place between January 2011 and January 2018 at The Specialty Hospital in Amman, Jordan. The medical records of all women who underwent unplanned reoperations following a primary gynaecological procedure during this period were reviewed.

A total of 4,895 primary gynaecological procedures were performed during the study period, of which 4,175 (85.3%) were elective and 720 (14.7%) were emergency operations. There were 15 unplanned reoperations (0.3%); of these, 14 (93.3%) followed elective procedures and one (6.7%) followed an emergency surgery. Most reoperations were performed following hysterectomies (53.3%). Bleeding was the predominant reason for reoperation (93.3%), with the source of the bleeding successfully identified in 71.3% of cases. In terms of outcome, none of the cases required a subsequent reoperation and there were no mortalities.

The rate of unplanned reoperation at a hospital in Jordan was 0.3%. Unplanned reoperations occurred primarily as a result of bleeding following hysterectomies. Development of care pathways may reduce surgical complications and rates of unplanned reoperation.