XXXX surgery in the elderly.

@entity1 @entity712 @entity5 @entity2615 @entity153 @entity3 @entity204 @entity456
The risk of @entity5 surgery in @entity1 of advanced age, i.e. 75 years or older, was analysed by reviewing 119 consecutive @entity1 from August 1986 to May 1998 with @entity153 (n = 87), pulmonary @entity3 (n = 22), @entity2615 and @entity456 (n = 7) and mediastinal or chest wall @entity5 (n = 3). Repeated surgery in one case of @entity153 and in another of @entity3 gave a total of 124 operations. Of the @entity1 , 22 were 80 years or older (21%) and 32% were female. The median age was 77 years (range 75-87 years). Six fatalities occurred within 30 days or during hospitalization. This corresponds to a 4.8% mortality for the whole series and 6.8% for the subgroup of @entity153 . The causes of @entity204 were surgical complications in two @entity1 , one died from @entity712 after simultaneous combined coronary artery bypass grafting and left lower lobectomy 2 hours after the operation from @entity712 refractory to resuscitation. With this exception all these @entity1 had stage II (n = 2) or stage III A (n = 3) @entity153 . It is concluded that @entity5 surgery in the elderly is safe provided appropriate selection is observed. Indications should be very restrictive for advanced @entity5 and for pneumonectomy.
