Centre for Policy on Ageing



Audit of outcome of major surgery in the elderly
Author(s)	T H Walsh
Journal title	British Journal of Surgery, vol 83, 1996
Pages	pp 92-97
Keywords	Patients ; Age groups [elderly] ; Digestive system diseases ; Surgery ; Quality of life ; Death rate [statistics] ; Performance.
Annotation	The author reports on patients referred to his hospital between August 1991 and August 1992 with certain specified gastrointestinal malignancies and acute, life-threatening abdominal conditions. Two groups were considered: patients aged 65-79 years, and those over 80 years. The mortality rate within 30 days of surgery was 14% in both age groups, although considerably fewer patients aged over 80 were considered suitable for surgery. Morbidity after operation and cost of treatment were not significantly different between the two groups. Two years after surgery, 40% of the patients over 80, and 58% of the 65-79 age group were alive. Quality of life in these survivors was good with 85% of those aged over 80 living at home and 72% fit enough to undertake light work.
Accession Number	CPA-960923025 A
Classmark	LF: BB: CM: LKA: F:59: S5: 5H *
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.