Surgical procedures among those greater than or equal to 90 years of age. A population-based study in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1975-1985.
Persons greater than or equal to 90 years of age represent a rapidly growing subset of the population, but little data exist on their utilization of the health care system. Population-based data capabilities of the Rochester/Olmsted County Epidemiology Project were used to study the performance of surgery among persons greater than or equal to 90 years of age for the 11-year period, 1975-1985. During this time, 224 residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota underwent 301 separate operations. The annual operation rate increased over the course of the study (trend test, p less than 0.001), reaching a plateau of 89.0 per 1000 person-years. This suggests a potential for nearly 91,000 operations annually in this age group based on 1987 U.S. Census estimates. Ninety-two per cent were discharged from the hospital alive, and 5-year survival was consistent with that expected (23% vs. 17%). Increased longevity of the general population, combined with increased performance of surgery in this rapidly growing segment of the population, may have significant implications for health care planning.
Warner
M A
MA
Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.
Hosking
M P
MP
Lobdell
C M
CM
Offord
K P
KP
Melton
L J
LJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000639:trends*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*