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Skin surgery in patients 90 years of age and over
Y Taniguchi1, Y Shimizu, S Inachi
1Department of Dermatology, Mie University School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
Background:
The number of aged people is increasing. It is conceivable that we will be treating considerably more aged patients with more surgical risk factors in the very near future.
Methods:
During the period between 1976 and 1996, 212 patients of 80 years of age and older underwent skin surgery at the Mie University Hospital, Japan. Among them, 25 patients of 90 years of age and over were studied.
Results:
Fourteen patients (56.0%) have undergone skin surgery in the past 5 years; 22 patients (88.0%) had skin tumors on the face and ears; squamous cell carcinoma was found in 17 patients (68.0%), while basal cell carcinoma was seen in four patients (16.0%). Despite their advanced ages, half of the patients had no medical contraindications to performing surgery.
Conclusions:
Careful preoperative management may allow more cutaneous surgery to be carried out in aged people.