[Emergent cardiovascular operation in patients older than 75 years]

From January 1988 through December 1990, 7 patients older than 75 years underwent emergent cardiovascular operation. We evaluated those operative results. The mean age was 80.1 years (range 77 to 85 years) and there were 5 men and 2 women. Coronary artery bypass grafting for 2 cases, closure of ventricular septal perforation for 1 case, graft replacement of ascending aorta and suspension of aortic valve in 2 cases, closure of left ventricular free wall rupture (LVFWR) in 1 case and closure of arch aneurysm rupture for 1 case were performed. Operative mortality was 14.3% (1/7). There was one hospital death. Five survivors had uneventful course in early postoperative term, but they needed long elaborate hospital care because of complications in noncardiac general organs in late postoperative term. They need nutritional support, rehabilitation for muscle weakness and so on. Their mean postoperative hospital period was 53 days. All of them were improved in New York Heart Association I or II. We concluded that we attained a good operative result in emergent cardiovascular operation in patients older than 75 years by effective operation as a result of long elaborate postoperative hospital care.