ACTA FAC. MED. NAISS. 2005; 22 (3): 127-133

Original article

RISK OF ELECTIVE SURGERY OF COLORECTAL CARCINOMA IN ELDERLY

R. Hesterberg, W.U. Scmidt, C. Ohmann, H.D. Roher, J. Sattler Department of General and Trauma Surgery Center of Operative Medicine I Department of Theoretical Surgery

SUMMARY

In a retrospective study 403 patients with colorectal carcinoma and elective gut resection were investigated with respect to postoperative complications and mortality depending on the age an accompanying risk factors (pulmonary diseases, cardiac diseases, diabetes mellitus, renal failure, arterial circulatory disturbances). Postoperative mortality was 1.35% in younger patients (<65 years), 5.8% in older patients (65-76 years) and 8.2% in old patients (>75 years). In the presence of one risk factor, none of the younger but 10% of the older and old patients died postoperatively. In the presence of two or more risk factors mortality was 0%,12.5% and 15%, respectively. In a detailed analysis age alone showed no statistically significant influence on the lethal outcome. The important fact for the higher mortality, not only in the old but already in the older patients, was the presence of the risk factors. As an aid in this decision making we investigated the risk of elective colon resections in patients with colorectal carcinoma depending on the age and accompanying diseases.

Key words: colorectal carcinoma, surgery of colorectal carcinoma and complications, age and colorectal carcinoma