Herniorrhaphy in patients aged 80 years or more. A prospective analysis of morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVE

To find out the morbidity and mortality after repair of groin hernias in patients aged 80 years or more, and to identify factors that add to the risk of hernia repair.

DESIGN

Prospective open study.

SETTING

All general surgical departments in Ringkøbing County, Denmark.

SUBJECTS

All 39 patients aged 80 years and over who were admitted with hernias during a one year period (1990).

OUTCOME MEASURES

Morbidity and mortality.

RESULTS

Three patients refused operation, and of the remaining 36, 15 (42%) were admitted as emergencies (5 of whom were already waiting for elective repair of their hernias). The median age was 84 years (range 80-90) and 23 (64%) were men, 31 patients had inguinal hernias, 4 had femoral hernias, and one an obturator hernia. There were six major and two minor complications after 14 emergency operations (57%), and one minor complication after 22 elective operations (5%, p = 0.0007). Two patients died, both after emergency operations (14%).

CONCLUSION

Elective hernia repair can be carried out safely even in the presence of serious coexisting disease, and emergency hernia repair carries a high risk of complications even in the absence of coexisting disease.