[Emergency surgery in elderly: experience gained in 198 cases over 80]
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G Tugnoli1, M Casali, S Villani
1Unità Operativa di Chirurgia d'Urgenza e del Trauma, Ospedale Maggiore di Bologna. gregorio.tugnoli@ausl.bologna.it
Purpose:
To evaluate our 2-year experience in the emergency surgical treatment of elderly people (aged > or = 80).
Method:
A retrospective review was conducted of 198 elderly patients admitted to Emergency Surgery Unit of the Ospedale Maggiore in Bologna from 01.07.2001 to 30.06.2003.
Results:
All the Patients were submitted to emergency operations. Mean age was 84.8 (range 80-96); Female were 152, male 73. Preexisting condition, ASA scores and surgical procedures were recorded. The postoperative mortality was 17.1%. The mean length of stay in our Unit was 9.7 days; 93 patients needed rehabilitation facility at discharge.
Conclusion:
The Authors concluded that emergency surgery entails a high risk to the patients, high cost in hospital resources and rehabilitation facility.