title: Cardiac surgery in the very elderly.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini Hospital, Malvern, Vic.
authors.forename: V Z
authors.initials: VZ
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Rosenfeldt
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Parkin
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ugoni
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Habersberger
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: 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