[Cardiovascular surgery in patients seventy years of age and older]

During 10 years between 1981 and 1990 surgical treatment was performed in 77 elderly patients (emergency 19) for cardiovascular disease at the 2nd Dept of Kurume Univ. Hospital. The 58 elective patients were studied. There were CABG in 29; valve replacement in 18; aneurysm operation in 11. The control patients were consisted of CABG in 60; valve replacement in 40; and aneurysm operation in 20 patients whose age were under 60 years. In the elderly group, operative mortality was 3 in 58 (5.2%) and there were no significant differences compared to that in the control patients. However, low output syndrome or respiratory complication was relatively prevented in the elderly patients and careful post operative management was required. The late results in the elderly patients NYHA or exercise tolerance was improved well. The 5 years actuarial survival rate was 93.3% in ischemic heart disease group, 87.7% in valvular heart disease group, and 90.0% in thoracic aneurysm group. No significant difference was seen compared to these results in control patients and no significant differences among these diseases.