Liver resection in the elderly Journal Article


Authors: Fong, Y.; Brennan, M. F.; Cohen, A. M.; Heffernan, N.; Freiman, A.; Blumgart, L. H.
Article Title: Liver resection in the elderly
Abstract: Background The operative mortality rate for hepatic resection in the elderly has been reported to be as high as 40 per cent for extended resection. Methods An increasing need to justify use of limited healthcare resources prompted a prospective assessment of 133 consecutive hepatic resections performed in 30 months in patients over 65 years of age. Results The overall mortality rate was 4 per cent. Mean(s.e.m.) hospital stay was 13(1) days, and admission to the intensive care unit was required for only eight patients. By univariate analysis, male sex (P = 0.003), preoperative jaundice (P = 0.01), abnormal preoperative electrocardiogram (P = 0.05) and poor American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification (P = 0.01) were predictors of cardiopulmonary complications. In a multivariate analysis only male sex and ASA classification predicted complications (P = 0.05). The 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates for the entire group were 78, 66 and 50 per cent respectively. All survivors returned to good functional status (mean(s.e.m.) peak postoperative Karnofsky score 95(1)). When outcome was compared with that in 244 patients younger than 65 years of age who had liver resection during the same interval, the only difference was a longer mean hospital stay for the older patients: mean(s.d.) 13.4(0.5) versus 11.9(0.4) days for those aged less than 65 years (P = 0.02). Conclusion Major hepatic resection can be performed in patients over 65 years old with acceptable morbidity and mortality rates.
Keywords: age; hepatic resection; hepatocellular-carcinoma
Journal Title: British Journal of Surgery
Volume: 84
Issue: 10
ISSN: 0007-1323
Publisher: Oxford University Press  
Date Published: 1997-10-01
Start Page: 1386
End Page: 1390
Language: English
ACCESSION: WOS:A1997YB86200014
PROVIDER: wos
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2168.1997.02785.x
Notes: Article -- Source: Wos
Altmetric
Citation Impact
BMJ Impact Analytics
MSK Authors
  1. Murray F Brennan
    1059 Brennan
  2. Leslie H Blumgart
    352 Blumgart
  3. Alfred M Cohen
    244 Cohen
  4. Yuman Fong
    775 Fong