Operative risk in old age--an anesthesiological survey of octogenarians

The anesthesiological records of 138 patients (158 operations), aged 80 years and older, were analysed retrospectively. Ninety-nine patients had received general anesthesia for 115 procedures. Complications and hemodynamic disturbances in this group were studied. Serious hemodynamic changes occurred 31 times in 24 patients. They were readily corrected and did not seem to have had any influence upon the mortality. The anesthesiological risk in our patients was negligible. The mortality in this survey is comparable to that of other series.