Related Experiment Videos
Surgery for oesophageal carcinoma in the elderly
M J Dalrymple-Hay1, K E Evans, R E Lea
1Wessex Cardiothoracic Centre, Southampton General Hospital, U.K.
Objective:
There has been a gradual increase in the number of elderly patients referred for oesophageal surgery. The aim of this study is to review our experience with oesophageal cancer surgery in the elderly.
Methods:
Between January 1974 and December 1996, 591 patients (408 males, 183 females; mean age 66 years) underwent an oesophageal resection for carcinoma. 221 were aged greater than 70 years of age (group A) and 370 less than 70 (group B).
Results:
Total in hospital mortality was 8.8% (52/591). This has decreased to less than 5% over the last decade. There was no significant difference in perioperative morbidity or mortality between the groups (P = 0.11). When deaths from unrelated medical conditions were excluded, there was no significant difference in survival between the different age groups (P = 0.96).
Conclusion:
Oesophageal surgery can be performed in a selected elderly population with a low operative morbidity and mortality. The survival benefit of resection is the same in the elderly as for younger patients.