An Analysis of the Risk Factors for Postoperative Complications and Their Effects on Hospital Stay in Taiwanese Geriatric Surgical Patients.

BACKGROUND: Surgical outcomes and complications in geriatric patients may be affected due to their increased number of underlying diseases. This study was conducted to evaluate the risk factors for postoperative complications and their effects on hospital stay in geriatric surgical patients (aged ≥ 80 years). METHODS: A total of 404 geriatric patients (aged ≥ 80 years) who underwent noncardiac surgery were enrolled in this study. Their preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative data were collected and subjected to univariate and multivariate analyses to calculate the odds ratio of risk factors. The risk of discharge was analyzed by calculating the hazard ratio to evaluate their relationship with postoperative complications. RESULTS: Approximately three-fourths (76.0%) of the patients had hypertension preoperatively, and 5.9% of them developed at least one postoperative complication. Respiratory disorders were the most frequent postoperative complications. Multivariate analysis revealed emergency surgery, preoperative renal diseases, preoperative anemia, and nonextubation as risk factors for postoperative respiratory complications. Intraoperative estimated blood loss of ＞ 500 mL and intraoperative low blood pressure were identified as risk factors for postoperative neurological complications. Intraoperative hypothermia was found to be a risk factor for postoperative renal complications. Postoperative respiratory complications, postoperative neurological complications, and infection statistically significantly prolonged the length of hospital stay. The in-hospital mortality rate was 1.0%. CONCLUSION: Patients aged ≥ 80 years under certain conditions need more attention to prevent the development of different types of postoperative complications. Those who did develop postoperative respiratory complications, postoperative neurological complications, and infection might require prolonged hospitalization. Physicians must pay more attention preoperatively to the risk factors that increase postoperative complications.

An analysis of surgical outcomes in patients aged 80 years and older.

OBJECTIVES: Elderly patients (aged ≥ 80 years) undergo an increasing number of operations. Elderly patients undergoing operations usually develop more postoperative complications and have poorer outcomes. The aim of this study is to identify the relative importance between preoperative and intraoperative variables to predict adverse postoperative outcomes in these patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 404 patients (aged ≥ 80 years and underwent a noncardiac surgery) collected from the quality assurance database in our department. We reviewed the patients' preoperative and intraoperative variables as well as postoperative complications and outcomes. Odds ratios of risk factors were then calculated by univariate and multivariate analyses. In addition, hazard ratios of incidence of discharge and mortality rates were analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 26.4% of patients developed one or more postoperative complications, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 6.7%. The majority of these patients had pre-existing cardiovascular disorders such as hypertension (47.5%). Respiratory complication was the most common postoperative complication (12.9%). Multivariate analysis showed male sex, anesthesia method, and colloid infusion were risk factors for increased respiratory complication. Our results showed that patients who developed different kinds of postoperative complications had a different level of risks associated with prolonged hospital stay and mortality. CONCLUSION: Patients over the age of 80 years, of male sex, under general anesthesia, and receiving colloid infusion were at a higher risk of developing respiratory complications. Postoperative respiratory complications occurred in most of the geriatric surgical patients. Efforts to improve the surgical outcomes must include measures to minimize in-hospital complications. Detailed evaluation and better communicating the aforementioned risk factors to these patients are suggested for improving anesthesia quality and surgical outcomes.