Tracheostomy is one of the most common procedures performed in intensive care units (ICUs). The cancellation of a tracheostomy delays a patient’s discharge from the ICU, which results in further expenses and prevents the admission of a new patient requiring treatment in the ICU. The aim of the current study was to investigate the reasons for tracheostomy cancellation in patients at King Abdulaziz University Hospital. We used a retrospective study design, and reviewed the records of patients with cancelled tracheostomy procedures between 2010 and 2015. The common causes of cancellations were operating room (OR)-related (43.85%), patient-related (10.52%), surgeon-related (5.26%), and anesthesia-related (4.48%). With regard to OR-related cases, one of the reasons was that urgent emergency cases were prioritized over tracheostomy procedures. The most common patient-related reason was a low hemoglobin level (less than 10g/gL). The procedure was sometimes cancelled by the surgeon, and sometimes it was cancelled because the patient required other services such as hematological or neurological assessments.
