Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

When your patient needs surgery: weighing risks versus benefits

C H Hirsch1

  • 1Department of medicine, University of California, Davis Medical Center, Sacramento.

Geriatrics
|January 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Older patients face higher surgical risks due to co-existing illnesses, but age itself is not a barrier. Appropriate surgical interventions should not be deferred based solely on advanced age.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The management of elder mistreatment: the physician's role.

Wiener klinische Wochenschrift·2001
Same author

Associations of subclinical cardiovascular disease with frailty.

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences·2001
Same author

The primary care of elder mistreatment.

The Western journal of medicine·1999
Same author

Correlates of performance-based measures of muscle function in the elderly: the Cardiovascular Health Study.

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences·1997
Same author

Preventive health behaviors among spousal caregivers.

Preventive medicine·1997
Same author

When your patient needs surgery: how planning can avoid complications.

Geriatrics·1995

Area of Science:

  • Geriatric Medicine
  • Surgical Oncology
  • Anesthesiology

Background:

  • Surgical candidacy and outcomes are influenced by patient age.
  • Older individuals often present with comorbidities that increase perioperative risks.
  • Age-related physiological changes can impact surgical complication rates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of age on surgical candidacy and outcomes.
  • To determine if age alone should contraindicate surgical procedures.
  • To analyze the risks associated with emergency versus elective surgery in elderly patients.

Main Methods:

  • Review of perioperative morbidity and mortality data in elderly surgical patients.
  • Comparison of outcomes for elective and emergency surgeries in patients over 70.
  • Analysis of age-associated changes in body composition and organ physiology relevant to surgery.

Main Results:

  • The likelihood of requiring surgery, both elective and emergency, increases with age.
  • Older patients exhibit higher rates of perioperative morbidity and mortality, partly due to comorbidities.
  • Emergency operations in patients over 70 have a significantly higher mortality rate (20-fold increase) compared to elective procedures.
  • Long-term benefits of certain surgeries, like coronary artery bypass grafting, are comparable between younger and older patients.

Conclusions:

  • Age should not be an absolute contraindication for surgery.
  • Appropriate surgical interventions should be considered for elderly patients, weighing potential benefits against risks.
  • Understanding age-associated physiological changes is crucial for managing perioperative risks in older adults.

Related Experiment Videos