From sterilization issues to a national blood donation crisis and cyberattacks, here’s why five hospitals have had to delay or cancel surgical procedures in 2026:
1. Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston diverted some surgical cases after state regulators identified a problem with the hospital’s steam sterilization equipment Aug. 21.
2. Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville, Tenn., had to reschedule some elective surgeries and said it could be forced to cancel or delay additional cases because of shortages of blood products. Chief Clinical Officer Brian Wilcox, MD, told NBC affiliate WNKY that the shortage is affecting hospitals nationwide as donations of blood products have fallen to a four-year summer low even as demand for transfusions holds steady.
3. A March cyberattack on Stryker disrupted parts of its supply chain, delaying surgical procedures for some health systems. While Stryker said its products remain safe to use and the incident has been contained, systems are still being restored. The disruption has already affected some providers: Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health said a small number of surgical cases were rescheduled due to the incident, according to a March 18 report from Bloomberg.
4. Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis canceled, delayed and transferred dozens of surgeries because of sterile processing issues with OR equipment in January. The organization said it bought more instruments and equipment and “has made modifications and improvements to resolve this matter.”
5. UnityPoint Health-Des Moines said it would delay some surgeries and procedures requiring overnight admission in January amid a sharp rise in flu cases. Influenza admissions climbed nationally earlier in 202. CDC data shows more than 33,000 people were hospitalized with the flu during the week ending Dec. 27, 2025.
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