[Optimized perioperative management helps improve the results of thoracotomy in elderly patients].
OBJECTIVE
To optimize perioperative respiratory and circulatory management so as to improve the surgical results of thoracotomy in elderly patients.


METHODS
Respiratory and circulatory status was prospectively monitored and postoperative complications were documented in 58 elderly patients aged over 65 years underwent thoracotomy. The results were compared with those from 56 young patients aged under 65 years in the same time period. Based on the study results, the original perioperative management model was modified and prospectively studied in the following 179 elderly patients. Again the results were compared with 477 younger patients concomitantly treated.


RESULTS
Through optimized perioperative management, the in-hospital mortality (4.9% vs. 1.1%, P = 0.033) and overall morbidity (58.6% vs. 21.8%, P < 0.01) were significantly decreased. This was most significant in the decrease of functional complications (51.7% vs. 14.5%, P < 0.01), especially the cardiovascular (22.4% vs. 7.3%, P = 0.001) and respiratory complications (20.7% vs. 7.3%, P = 0.004). There was no difference in technical complications between the two time periods. Comparing with the original model, the optimized perioperative management strategy resulted in significant decrease in acute lung injury (17.2% vs. 6.7%, P = 0.016), respiratory failure (6.9% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.041), as well as cardiac arrhythmia (20.7% vs. 7.3%, P = 0.004) in the early postoperative period.


CONCLUSIONS
Optimization of perioperative management through careful preoperative functional evaluation, intraoperative protective ventilation, postoperative close monitoring of water balance, and timely intervention, may help improve surgical results in the elderly.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai 200030, China. vwtfang@hotmail.com
Wen-tao
WT
Fang
Teng
T
Mao
Mei-ying
MY
Xu
Wen-hu
WH
Chen
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D019990:Perioperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013908:Thoracotomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome