Perioperative care of elderly outpatient: a review

Epidemiological data show a continuous expansion of elderly population in Europe. Older individuals require more medical services relative to their younger counterparts. The aim of this review was to summarize the most recent considerations in regards to preoperative assessment, postoperative outcomes, patient satisfaction and cost-effectiveness analysis of day surgery in the elderly.

This review considered studies that included older patients who were undergoing day surgery general procedures (such as inguinal hernia repair, excision of breast lump, haemorrhoidectomy). The interventions of interest to this review included selection criteria, perioperative care, management of postoperative pain.

According to a large number of studies, old age does not constitute a contraindication for elderly to undergo ambulatory surgery but this population may require more careful intraoperative cardiovascular management. Hospitalization of older patients is frequently associated with postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Management of postoperative pain in older patients may be complicated by a number of factors, including a higher risk of age- and disease-related changes in physiology and disease-drug and drug-drug interactions. Early studies evaluating approaches to facilitating the recovery process have demonstrated the benefits of multimodal analgesic techniques.

A lot of studies show that even elderly patients can successfully undergo day surgery procedures by implementing evidence-based perioperative care programs, minimizing operative duration and tissue trauma and providing a comfortable setting.