[Surgical intensive care in advanced age].

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Critical Care Medicine
• Surgical Intensive Care

Context:

• Analysis of 877 surgical intensive care unit patients in 1986.
• Focus on 164 patients aged 70 years and older.
• Inclusion of trauma and non-trauma cases, emergency and elective surgeries.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the efficacy and limits of intensive care for critically ill or traumatized elderly patients.
• To assess outcomes including length of stay, mortality, and long-term survival.
• To inform treatment strategies for elderly patients in intensive care settings.

Summary:

• Elderly patients (≥70) had a shorter median intensive care unit (ICU) stay (1.9 days) than the overall group (2.9 days).
• ICU mortality for the elderly group was 6.1%, comparable to the overall mortality of 6.5%.
• Two years post-ICU admission, 51% of elderly patients were alive, reporting acceptable quality of life and independence.

Impact:

• Results support an aggressive treatment approach for elderly patients in intensive care.
• Feasibility of treatment in the elderly is often demonstrated only after initiating care.
• Findings suggest intensive care can yield positive long-term outcomes for older individuals.