title: How do patients aged 85 and older fare with abdominal surgery?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the outcomes of patients aged 85 and older after abdominal surgery in terms of mortality, morbidity, and change in residential status and to analyze factors predicting such outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective clinical cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tertiary regional hospital in Victoria, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred seventy-nine patients aged 85 and older who had abdominal surgery between 1998 and 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mortality, complications (morbidity), and change in residential status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient sample had a mean age of 88.6, a mortality rate of 17.3%, and a morbidity rate of 62.8%. Approximately two-thirds (64%) of all abdominal surgeries were emergency surgeries. Factors predicting mortality included American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score and premorbid residential status. Risk factors predicting severity of complications were ASA score and emergency surgery. Significant factors contributing to change in residential status were ASA score and severity of complications. Age, sex, and number of comorbidities were not significant factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients aged 85 and older experienced mortality rates of 17.3% after abdominal surgery. ASA score and premorbid residential status appear to be more important than age in determining risk for abdominal surgery in older persons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences (Surgery), Barwon Health, University of Melbourne, Geelong Hospital, Geelong, Australia. Naseem.mirbagheri@svhm.org.au
authors.forename: Naseem
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mirbagheri
authors.forename: Jonathan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Dark
authors.forename: David A K
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Watters
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome