Skin surgery in patients 90 years of age and over.
BACKGROUND
The number of aged people is increasing. It is conceivable that we will be treating considerably more aged patients with more surgical risk factors in the very near future.


METHODS
During the period between 1976 and 1996, 212 patients of 80 years of age and older underwent skin surgery at the Mie University Hospital, Japan. Among them, 25 patients of 90 years of age and over were studied.


RESULTS
Fourteen patients (56.0%) have undergone skin surgery in the past 5 years; 22 patients (88.0%) had skin tumors on the face and ears; squamous cell carcinoma was found in 17 patients (68.0%), while basal cell carcinoma was seen in four patients (16.0%). Despite their advanced ages, half of the patients had no medical contraindications to performing surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Careful preoperative management may allow more cutaneous surgery to be carried out in aged people.
Taniguchi
Y
Y
Department of Dermatology, Mie University School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
Shimizu
Y
Y
Inachi
S
S
Shimizu
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*