Cardiac surgery in the very elderly.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the results of cardiac surgery in the very elderly.


METHODS
A retrospective study of 56 very elderly patients (mean age 82 years, range 79-89 years) undergoing open heart surgery between 1988 and 1991. Thirty-three patients had coronary artery bypass grafting, 12 had valve replacement alone and 11 had valve replacement with an associated procedure.


METHODS
St Francis Xavier Cabrini Hospital, Melbourne--a large private hospital.


RESULTS
There were four in-hospital deaths (7%). The one-year actuarial survival rate was 88%. Of the 49 survivors, 92% were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III or IV before operation, whereas 96% were in NYHA Class I or II a mean of 15 months after operation.


CONCLUSIONS
In very elderly patients with medically refractory cardiac symptoms, cardiac surgery has a tolerable mortality and provides excellent relief of symptoms.
Shah
V Z
VZ
Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini Hospital, Malvern, Vic.
Rosenfeldt
F L
FL
Parkin
G W
GW
Ugoni
A M
AM
Habersberger
P G
PG
Cooper
E
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000401:mortality / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014739:Victoria