Surgical emergencies in elderly

Background: A higher number of elderly are seeking surgical care in the last years for different affections. The aim of the study was to analyze the characteristics of surgical emergency pathology in elderly and to establish several prognostic factors. Materials and Methods: We did a retrospective study on 22.803 patients admitted in the First and the Third Clinic of Surgery from Targu-Mures between 1999 and 2006. The data were statistically processed. Results: The elderly (>= 70 years) represented 15.10% of all cases and 20.70% of all emergencies. Almost half of them (47.80%) were admitted in emergency conditions, compared to only a third (32.53%) of the younger group. The malignancies represented 16.72%, meanwhile in the younger group only 6.98%. Abdominal emergencies represented 83.59%, mostly due to intestinal occlusion and digestive hemorrhages. The operability ratio was 68%, close to the younger group (72%). The global mortality rate was 3.95%. Conclusions: Surgical emergencies affect elderly in a higher percentage than the younger group. The emergency condition, the elder age and neoplasia are the most important factors of negative prognosis, and more important when they cumulate, increasing the mortality rate up to fivefold compared to the elderly admitted in elective condition.