Ageing acute surgical population: the Auckland experience

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Surgical Care
• Public Health

Background:

• Growing trend of elderly patients requiring surgical interventions.
• Acute surgical illness poses significant risks for the geriatric population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the trends and outcomes of surgical care for patients over 80 years old.
• To identify specific risks and care needs for elderly patients undergoing acute surgery.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of clinical records from general surgery and acute surgical units (ASU) for 2013-2014.
• Stratification of patients by age (over 80 years) and collection of data on length of stay, ICU admissions, procedures, and mortality.
• Comparison of outcomes between elderly (over 80) and younger patient groups.

Main Results:

• Increased discharge rates for patients over 80 from ASU (7.02% in 2013 to 8.20% in 2014).
• Patients over 80 experienced longer hospital stays (1.88 days longer in 2014) and higher mortality rates.
• The risk of in-hospital death for patients over 80 was 36.4 times higher than for younger patients in 2013.

Conclusions:

• Elderly patients (over 80) have increased length of stay and mortality rates in surgical care.
• Acute surgical admissions carry higher mortality risks compared to elective admissions for this age group.
• Specialized geriatrician support for acute surgical units is recommended to improve care for at-risk elderly patients.