An audit of surgery in 100 patients over 75 years in a private hospital

To determine what operations are being done on patients over 75 years in a private hospital, to observe performance in terms of justification, morbidity and mortality.

Retrospective audit of 100 patients over 75 years having surgery at an Adelaide private hospital.

Cystoscopy, inguinal herniorrhaphy, cataract and colon surgery were the most common procedures. One patient died--probably from a leaking aortic abdominal aneurysm. Four patients had significant morbidity in the form of burst abdomen, ruptured femoral-popliteal bypass graft, biliary collection requiring reoperation and cardiac arrhythmia requiring a pacemaker. Twenty three other patients had minor morbidity. No unnecessary operations were detected.