Fewer cancellations, better care: Supporting patients with diabetes through surgery

Area of Science:

• Diabetes Management
• Surgical Care
• Perioperative Medicine

Background:

• 15% of annual surgeries are performed on patients with diabetes.
• Poor glycemic control in diabetic patients increases postoperative complication risks.
• Surgery cancellations impact patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate reasons for surgery cancellations in diabetic patients.
• To implement interventions aimed at reducing these cancellations.
• To improve perioperative care for individuals with diabetes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of cancelled surgeries in diabetic patients (2024).
• Implementation of new perioperative guidelines for elective surgeries in this population.
• Re-audit of cancellations post-guideline implementation (June 2025).

Main Results:

• Post-intervention, only 7% of cancellations were due to suboptimal diabetes control, a decrease from previous rates (10% and 63%).
• No cancellations occurred within two weeks of surgery due to diabetes control post-intervention.
• Prior to intervention, only 32% of patients had surgery within one year of their initial cancellation.

Conclusions:

• Diabetic patients face substantial surgical delays.
• Targeted perioperative guidelines effectively identify and reduce cancellations related to glycemic control.
• Locally adapted perioperative pathways are crucial for optimizing surgical care in diabetic populations.