[Gynecologic interventions in the 10th decade of life]

We report on 28 surgical procedures performed between 1978 and 1992 performed on patients aged 90 years or older. 18 of them had a malignant tumour (11 mamma, 2 corpus, 3 vulva and 2 ovarian cancer), one had an ovarian cystoma. Three patients suffered from pelvic relaxation, four had postmenopausal bleeding, one vulvar dystrophy and one patient suffered from pyometra. Four laparotomies, three vaginal hysterectomies with colporrhaphy, four minor operations of the vulva, six curettages and eleven mammary operations were performed. During the surgical procedures, none of the patients died, whereas two patients died some time after the operation: so-called hospital mortality. The survival of the other patients was comparable to that of their age group. Two patients died of gynaecological diseases. After the surgical procedure, 21 patients reattained their preoperative level of health. 23 were satisfied with the result of the operation because of improvement of their complaints. If surgery in the aged allows the patients to lead a comfortable life, the operational risks can be justified.