The pattern of geriatric surgical diseases in Zaria, Nigeria

A retrospective study of 157 patients aged 60 years and above who were treated surgically in our institution in Zaria between January 1987 and December 1990 is presented. There were 144 men and 13 women. 82% of the patients were between the ages of 60 and 70 years and 18% were over 70 years. The oldest patient was 85 years. The main pathologies were benign prostatic hypertrophy (21.7%), external hernias of various sites (19.1%), urethral strictures (13.4%), carcinoma of the prostate (6.4%), hydrocoele (5.1%) and carcinoma of the bladder (4.5%). Malignant disease accounted for 18.7%. Diverse inflammatory diseases other than urethral strictures were responsible for 13.7% of the lesions.