title: Postoperative Functional Outcomes in Older Adults.
abstract: As the world's aging population grows, the surgical population is increasingly made up of older adults. Due to changes in physiologic function and increasing comorbidity burden, older adults are at increased risk of morbidity, mortality, and functional decline after surgery. In addition, decision to undergo surgery for the older adult may be based on the postoperative functional outcome rather than survival. Although few studies have evaluated an older adult's function as a postoperative outcome, surgeons are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of maintaining or regaining function in an older patient. Interventions to improve postoperative functional outcomes are being developed and show promising results. This review discusses existing literature on postoperative functional outcomes in older adults and recently developed interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery (EF, ZB), Department of Medicine (EF, VT), Phillip R Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies (EF), 3333 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118; (415) 885-3606.
authors.forename: Zabecca
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Brinson
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery (EF, ZB), Department of Medicine (EF, VT), Phillip R Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies (EF), 3333 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118; (415) 885-3606.
authors.forename: Victoria L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery (EF, ZB), Department of Medicine (EF, VT), Phillip R Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies (EF), 3333 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118; (415) 885-3606.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Finlayson
keywords: elderly; functional outcomes; geriatrics; older adults