[Spinal surgery in the elderly: does age have an influence on the complication rate?]

In accordance with the demographic trend, the number of elderly patients with spinal diseases which require surgery will increase continuously. Up to now, age has often been regarded as a contraindication for an elective operation. However, a review of the existing literature, the results of the European spine register "Spine Tango" and our own results show that the rate of complications after minimally invasive spinal surgery is as low in the elderly as it is in the younger population. But the higher the complexity of surgery, the higher the rate of complications with increasing age. However, even elderly (>65 years) and very elderly (>80 years) patients seem to benefit from surgical treatment, independent of the extent of spinal surgery. Because chronic pain leads to physical limitations, an impaired quality of life as well as a declined state of health, and because surgery can significantly improve these factors, even while remaining aware of the operational risks, age itself should not be considered as a contraindication for spinal surgery.