Clinical Survey of Geriatric Anesthesia

Lee, Kuem Kyu; Lee, Jun Hak; Lee, Ki Nam; Moon, Jun Il

Abstract

Nowdays the number of geriatric patients has increased gradually and the risk for anesthesia and surgery is poor compared with younger patients because of chronic systemic diseases and aging of physiologic function. We analyzed 982 cases of geriatric anesthesia patients aged over 65 years performed at Presbyterian Medical Center from January 1992 to December 1993. The patients were evaluated according to age, sex, preoperative physical status, preoperative laborative findings, concurrent illness, anesthetic consult, department, operation site, anesthesia type, duration of anesthesia, intraoperative events, postoperative complications and mortality. The results were as follows; 1) The number of the cases older than 65 years was 982 cases(8.4%) out of total 11,629 cases. There were 548 cases(55.8%) of male and 434 cases(44.2%) of female. 2) By the classification of physical status of American Society of Anesthesiologist, the most common evidence was class 2 in 587 cases(59.8%) and emergency operation was performed in 237 cases(24.1%). 3) 520 cases(53.0%) had concurrent illness and hypertension was most common in 129 cases(24.8%). 4) Preoperative anesthetic consult was performed in 421 cases(42.9%) and the frequent consult problem was cardiovascular in 155 cases(36.8%). 5) The most common department and operation site was general surgery in 461 cases(47.0%), lower abdominal region in 265 cases(27.0%) respectively. 6) The anesthetic technique employed was usually general anesthesia; 710 cases(72.3%). 7) The intraoperative events and postoperative complications were revealed in 244 cases(24.8%), 225 cases (22.9%) respectively and hypertension was leading problem. 8) Overall mortality rate was 1.9%(19 cases). The mortality rate was 0.7% in elective cases and 5.9% in emergency cases. In conclusion, anesthesiologists should attention to perioperative management of geriatric patients to decrease the morbidity and mortality.