The elderly patient and colon surgery for cancer or diverticular disease

The mortality and morbidity for 246 patients over the age of 50 who underwent colon resection for cancer or diverticular disease during a 5-year period were reviewed. The increased risk for patients over 70 years of age was based on the presence of two or more preoperative diseases, the occurrence of emergency surgery and the occurrence of postoperative complications, especially surgical infection.