Abstract
(Purpose) The aim of this study was to evaluate our current status and problems in the perioperative management of elderly patients over 80 years old who underwent surgical operations under general anesthesia. (Patients and Methods) Fifty–nine surgeries in 55 patients operated on under general anesthesia from January 2002 to December 2006 were enrolled in this study evaluating the perioperative management and prognosis. (Results) The male–to female ratio was 14 : 41, with the mean age of 84.9. Frequent diseases for operations included malignant diseases in 31 patients, gallbladder or common bile duct stones in five patients and arteriosclerosis obliterans in five patients. Common underlying diseases included hypertension, cerebral infarction, and diabetes mellitus. Postoperative morbidity rate was 67.9% and pneumonia, dementia and wound infection frequently occurred. There was no 30–day mortality, but five postoperative deaths during hospitalization, and three of them underwent palliative surgery. The overall 5–year survival rate was 58.4% and the main cause of deaths was malignancy. Significant poor prognostic factors were palliative surgery and preoperative fasting for more than a week. (Conclusion) From a prognostic standpoint, we must be cautious in indicating palliative surgery for elderly patients with advanced cancer.
