Medical problems in geriatric surgical patients

Niger Postgrad Med J. 2004 Jun;11(2):71-4.

Abstract

Age is often a marker for co-morbid illness that may complicate attempts at surgery, hence careful preoperative assessment and vigorous treatment of the pre-operative medical condition with adequate post-operative supports are needed for safe surgery. In our series, a fifteen months study period, six hundred and Ninety five patients were operated upon out of which forty four patients were 65 years old and above (6.3% ); Age ranged between 65 years and 80 years (mean age of 70 years). The patients with medical problems were sixteen (36.4% ) out of which urinary tract infection was the most common (43.8% ). The most common anaesthetic technique was spinal anaesthesia in 45.5%, the most common operative procedure was herniorrhaphy (36.4% ); followed by prostatectomy (26.5% ). Three of the patients presented with wound infection; mortality was 2.3%, which occurred in a patient who died of multiple organ failure.

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anesthesia
  • Comorbidity*
  • Elective Surgical Procedures*
  • Female
  • Geriatric Assessment*
  • Health Status*
  • Hospitals, University
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nigeria
  • Postoperative Complications
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors