Common Surgical Procedures in Geriatric Patients

Abstract

Demographic studies show that life expectancy for people in the USA has been trending upwards for the past several decades. As the population ages, the number of geriatric patients who will require surgery has also increased. Information from the National Hospital Discharge Survey reported that in 2006, 35.3% of all inpatient procedures and 32.2% of all outpatient procedures were in patients aged 65 and older. Common elective surgeries in elderly patients include cataract and lens procedures, spinal fusions and laminectomies, and total or partial hip and knee replacements. Common urgent surgeries in this population include thoracic and abdominal cancer resections, breast and prostate cancer resections, and cholecystectomies. Finally, common emergency surgeries in the elderly population include hip fracture repairs and other geriatric traumas.

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