Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2004 , Vol 7, Issue 1
ELECTIVE AND EMERGENCY SURGERY IN THE ELDERLY
M. Tahir ORUÇ, Selçuk UZUN, Barış SAYLAM, Murat KARAKAHYA, Çetin KARADAĞ, Arife POLAT DÜZGÜN, M. Mahir ÖZMEN, Faruk COŞKUN
Ankara Numune EÄŸitim ve AraÅŸtırma Hastanesi, 3. Cerrahi KliniÄŸi In western countries, with the increase in life expectancy, surgical operations done in elderly population increase and operation related morbidity and mortalite also increase paralelly. Aim of this study is to compare the outcomes of emergency and elective surgery performed in a population above and under 60 years of old. For this purpose, 150 patients were divided into four groups (above and under 60 years of old and emergency, elective) in 3rd Surgical Clinic at the Ankara Numune Teaching and Research Hospital, and the patients’ age, hospital stay, comorbid disease, physical status (according to the classification of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, ASA) and operative morbidity and mortality were recorded. Groups were compared according to these factors and factors on morbidity and mortality were evaluated. The complication rate was %35.6 and the mortality rate was %23.4 in above 60-years-old group and the rates were %23,25 and %4,65 in under-60 years-old group respectively. In conclusion; it was detected that age is not a risk factor for surgery itself, although the patients above 60 years-old had a greater rate of comorbid disease than other group. It was thought that the most important factors effecting morbidity and mortality were emergency conditions, major surgery and comorbid disease and after optimal preoperative preperation for surgery, the operations could also be done safely in the elderly with an improved clinical outcomes. Keywords : Surgery, Geriatrics, Emergency, Elective, Complication, Mortality