How safe is open abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery for octogenarians in New Zealand?

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an important cause of mortality for the aged, a group that has been denied surgery in the past for fear of peri-operative mortality. Is this attitude still justified?

Analysis of prospectively gathered data from a vascular database.

10.9% of all open AAA operations were in patients older than 79 years with an 8% mortality rate compared to 3% for younger patients. For fit elderly patients with ASA scores less than 3, mortality was just under 4%. Renal failure and wound dehiscence were more common in the elderly.

When endovascular repair is not possible in a fit elderly patient, open surgery can be performed with acceptable results.