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Emergency General Surgery in Older Patients: Where Are We Now?

  • Geriatric Anesthesia (S Akhtar, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Anesthesiology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a review of the literature around emergency general surgery in older patients.

Recent Findings

Emergency general surgery has a high mortality rate and with the population ageing at an unprecedented rate, older patients have an increased mortality risk due to their age alone. Complications are higher and older patients are more likely not to be discharged home following surgery. However, accurately predicting risk of surgery in elderly patients is very difficult. Simple measures such as concurrent comprehensive geriatric assessment with surgical assessment may help care for the older surgical patient more holistically and offer improved outcomes.

Summary

With the increasing ageing population and life expectancy, there needs to be a more focus on developing comprehensive programmes for older patients undergoing emergency surgery, to ensure they do not develop complications and to reduce mortality rates.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Royal Surrey County Hospital, Egerton Road, Guildford, GU2 7XX, UK

    Geeta Aggarwal & Nial Quiney

  2. Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1510 San Pablo Street, Suite 600, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA

    Carol J. Peden

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  1. Geeta Aggarwal
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Geeta Aggarwal.

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Conflict of Interest

Geeta Aggarwal has received research support from The Health Foundation, London (for the Emergency Laparotomy Collaborative).

Carol J. Peden has received research support from The Health Foundation, London (for the Emergency Laparotomy Collaborative), and is a consultant to the American College of Surgeons and Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute Improving Surgical Care and Recovery (for the emergency surgery section) project supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Nial Quiney has received research support from The Health Foundation, London (for the Emergency Laparotomy Collaborative).

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Aggarwal, G., Peden, C.J. & Quiney, N. Emergency General Surgery in Older Patients: Where Are We Now?. Curr Anesthesiol Rep 9, 387–394 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40140-019-00352-x

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