Abstract

In order to see if surgery in the elder patients is risky, particularly in the wound healing and recovery of the function, a survey of the postoperative states was done on 102 more than 70 years-old patients (the elder group) and 252 younger than 69 year-old patients (the control group) with head and neck cancer who underwent radical operation following or followed by radiation and /or chemotherapy . There was no difference between two groups in postoperative wound healing and recovery of the function. The age of patients was not regarded as a risk factor for radical operation, but, the association with systemic disorders, such as DM, liver cirrhoris, hypertension, etc., was much more risky in the wound problems . There was no tendency of wound infection with psudomonas or MRSA in the elder group . Results of this survey suggest that radical operation should not be denied in the elder patients on the basis of age alone.