title: Is age an important risk factor for the outcome of elective abdominal aneurysm surgery?
abstract: This retrospective study involves 590 patients who underwent elective abdominal aortic surgery in the years 1966-1990. These patients are subdivided into three groups by time of intervention: 1st = 1966-1978; 2nd = 1979-1988; 3rd = 1988-1990, and each group is subdivided into two subgroups according to whether age is over or under 70. A progressive decrease in mortality is statistically significant through these years. No difference in the age-subgroups were observed except for a greater rate of minor postoperative complications. Elective surgical repair of aneurysmatic disease of the abdominal aorta is a safe procedure also in patients over 70 years in the presence of correct hemodynamic intraoperative monitoring and of a skilled surgical equipe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Santa Corona Hospital, Garbagnate Milanese, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaghi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zorzoli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gatti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tacconi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D002407:Catheterization, Swan-Ganz / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002423:Cause of Death; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors