Table 9.2.

WHO: Ten essential objectives for safe surgery

(1) The operating team must ensure that the correct surgical procedure is to be carried out on the correct patient.

(2) The operating personnel should have adequate knowledge regarding the anesthesia, its methods of administration as well as its effects so that minimum pain is experienced by the patient.

(3) The operating personnel should be well prepared for any life-threatening conditions like loss of airway or respiratory function.

(4) The operating team should be prepared for risk of high loss of blood.

(5) The operating team should be well versed with the history of the patient in order to prevent or induce any allergic or adverse drug reactions that can cause a significant risk for the patient.

(6) Care must be taken to minimize the formation of surgical site infections by using proper measures.

(7) Proper care must be taken to not leave any instrument or any foreign material at the surgical site.

(8) All specimens should be carefully identified and secured for further investigations.

(9) Proper communication must be present among the operating team personnel for the safe conduct of the surgical procedure.

(10) A routine surveillance of the surgical volume, safety protocols, capacities, and the outcomes must be carried out by all the hospitals and the health care systems.