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Preoperative Evaluation of the Elderly Surgical Patient

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Book cover Principles and Practice of Geriatric Surgery

Abstract

The aging of the American population has created the need to provide surgical care to an ever-increasing number of older persons. In the United States over the short period from 1980 to 1996 the percentage of operations for which the patient was over age 65 increased from 19% to 36%; when obstetrical procedures are excluded this portion rises to 43%.1 It is now estimated that at least half of the patients in most general surgical practices are over age 65. During the next 50 years the portion of the population over age 65 is expected to continue to grow from the present 12.5% to 20%, or nearly 80 million people. Those over age 85 are the most rapidly growing segment of this population, and their number is expected to increase sixfold to 18 million by the year 20502 (Fig. 10.1).

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Authors
  1. Darlene Gabeau
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  2. Ronnie A. Rosenthal
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Ronnie A. Rosenthal MD (Associate Professor, Chief, Surgical Service) (Associate Professor, Chief, Surgical Service)

  2. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, 06516, CT, USA

    Ronnie A. Rosenthal MD (Associate Professor, Chief, Surgical Service) (Associate Professor, Chief, Surgical Service)

  3. Department of Surgery, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, 10461, NY, USA

    Michael E. Zenilman MD (Associate Professor and Vice-Chairman, Chief of Surgery) (Associate Professor and Vice-Chairman, Chief of Surgery)

  4. Jack D. Weiler Hospital of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, 10461, NY, USA

    Michael E. Zenilman MD (Associate Professor and Vice-Chairman, Chief of Surgery) (Associate Professor and Vice-Chairman, Chief of Surgery)

  5. Wyoming Valley Surgical Associates, Kingston, 18704, PA, USA

    Mark R. Katlic M.D. (Chief of Thoracic Surgery) (Chief of Thoracic Surgery)

  6. Wyoming Valley Healthcare System, Wilkes-Barre, 18702, PA, USA

    Mark R. Katlic M.D. (Chief of Thoracic Surgery) (Chief of Thoracic Surgery)

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Gabeau, D., Rosenthal, R.A. (2001). Preoperative Evaluation of the Elderly Surgical Patient. In: Rosenthal, R.A., Zenilman, M.E., Katlic, M.R. (eds) Principles and Practice of Geriatric Surgery. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3432-4_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3432-4_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-3434-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-3432-4

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