Abstract
Emergency hernia repair in the geriatric patient is a growing challenge that will increase in prevalence over time. The morbidity and mortality of emergent hernia repair in the elderly is significant, and one should consider elective repair in this patient population as a preventative measure. Patient acuity and hernia-specific factors dictate the urgency of intervention. The percentage of the US population over 65 is increasing dramatically. Current models predict the population of geriatric patients in the USA to double in the next 30 years, with a potential for almost 70 million patients by the year 2030. Geriatric patients are more likely to develop hernia due to issues such as constipation, prostatism, chronic cough, and malnutrition. Age has been shown to be an independent risk factor for morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing emergency hernia repair. Polypharmacy, comorbidities, frailty, and delirium in this population further complicate surgical recovery.
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Halpern, D.K. (2023). Emergency Hernia Repair in the Elderly. In: Petrone, P., Brathwaite, C.E. (eds) Acute Care Surgery in Geriatric Patients. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-30651-8_23
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-30651-8_23
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