title: Current surgical treatment and results for aneurysm of the thoracic aorta in elderly patients.
abstract: During the period from January, 1983 to December, 1986, a total of 199 patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm underwent surgical treatment in our Cardiovascular Surgical Service. During this period, criteria for surgical indications were established and general surgical principles and techniques were standardized. As a consequence, surgical results appeared to stabilize during this period. It was clearly established that the surgical result for patients over 65 years was poor with high mortality compared to the younger age group (38.6% vs 7.2%). This tendency was in sharp contrast to that of abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery where low mortality (3%) was obtained regardless of age. Other factors influencing high mortality were as follows: 1) atherosclerosis as an etiological background, 2) aneurysm situated at the aortic arch, 3) Urgency for surgery, 4) pre- and postoperative status of respiratory and renal function. Late follow-up results showed that 25% of patients died, while 66% are in fair condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, National Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kasegawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujita
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors