Major surgical procedures for gynecologic malignancy in elderly women

We review 89 patients more than 75 years old who had major operations for various gynecologic malignancies. The recent routine use of perioperative intensive care decreased hospital mortality from 8.9% to 3.2%, and helped in decreasing and anticipating intraoperative and postoperative cardiorespiratory complications. Availability of visiting nurses since 1980 decreased the mean hospital stay from 30.2 to 24.4 days in patients who had radical vulvectomy. There were no deaths among 11 patients who subsequently had surgical reexploration for recurrent or new disease. Fifty-two of the 89 patients survived more than three years with no limitations resulting from the operations. When indicated, major surgical procedures for gynecologic malignancy in elderly women can be done safely, especially when the patient is evaluated and managed in a well staffed surgical intensive care unit.