[Cardiac surgery in octogenarians: a five-year experience].
BACKGROUND
Cardiac surgery in octogenarians is increasing in industrialized countries and therefore represents a growing population. The aim of this study was to evaluate characteristics and outcomes of octogenarian patients undergoing cardiac surgery.


METHODS
We reviewed all consecutive octogenarians operated on during the last 5 years. Among 1912 patients operated on between April 2000 and December 2004, we identified 223 patients (11.6%) aged > 80 years. Median age was 82.17 +/- 2.11 years, and 52.5% were males. The mean EuroSCORE score was 9.4 +/- 1.8. Among them 43 patients (19.3%) had isolated aortic valve replacement, 127 patients (57%) had isolated coronary artery bypass graft, 40 patients (17.9%) had aortic valve replacement combined with coronary artery bypass graft, 11 patients (4.9%) had mitral valve repair, and 2 patients (0.9%) had ventricular septal rupture repair.


RESULTS
The overall hospital mortality was 5.4%; cumulative actuarial survival at 4 years was 77.6%.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that for unselected octogenarians the operative mortality is acceptable and only slightly increased than in younger age groups; the late survival rate is good.
Pederzolli
Nicola
N
U. O. di Cardiochirurgia, Azienda Ospedaliera "C. Poma", Mantova. pednik@yahoo.it
Fiorani
Vinicio
V
Maizza
Anna
A
Tappainer
Ernesto
E
Zogno
Mario
M
D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000401:mortality; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D018658:Ventricular Septal Rupture / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery