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Is age over 70 years a risk factor for pneumonectomy?
Valerio Annessi1, Massimiliano Paci, Tommaso Ricchetti
1Division of Thoracic Surgery, Cardiothoracic & Vascular Department, Santa Maria Nuova Hospital, 42100, Reggio Emilia, Italy. joanna@ppukm.ukm.my
Asian Cardiovascular & Thoracic Annals
|August 1, 2009
Summary
Elderly patients over 70 undergoing pneumonectomy (lung removal surgery) face increased risks of morbidity and long-term mortality, but the overall risk is deemed acceptable for this growing patient population.
Area of Science:
- Thoracic Surgery
- Geriatric Medicine
- Pulmonary Medicine
Background:
- Increasing life expectancy results in more elderly patients requiring surgical interventions.
- Pneumonectomy is a major surgical procedure with potential risks, especially in older individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if age over 70 years is a significant risk factor for pneumonectomy.
- To compare outcomes between elderly (>70) and younger (<70) patients undergoing pneumonectomy.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of pneumonectomy cases from January 1999 to December 2006.
- Comparison of 40 patients aged >70 years with 70 matched patients aged 40-68 years.
- Matching criteria included sex, physical status, respiratory function, side of pneumonectomy, and pathologic stage.
Main Results:
- Older patients (>70) experienced significantly higher rates of postoperative atrial fibrillation (24% vs. 5.6%).
- Respiratory complications were low in both groups; reduced respiratory function did not correlate with increased morbidity.
- Thirty-day mortality showed no significant difference (2.5% vs. 1.4%), but long-term mortality was higher in the older group (72.5% vs. 50%).
Conclusions:
- Age over 70 is a risk factor for increased morbidity and long-term mortality following pneumonectomy.
- Despite the increased risks, pneumonectomy in elderly patients may be an acceptable procedure given the observed outcomes.
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