[Acute abdomen in elderly patients].

Seventy nine elderly patients with acute abdominal conditions were operated on in the Emergency Service of the Hospital das Clinicas of the University of São Paulo from 1981 to 1985. Total mortality rate was 58.23%. In patients with acute vascular abdominal conditions it was 100%, in inflammatory conditions 55.17% and in intestinal obstruction 47.83%. The lowest mortality was observed in traumatic conditions (27.27%). Procrastination of operations was followed by higher mortality. In operations lasting more than three hours the mortality was significantly higher than in those lasting less than three hours. Associated diseases as well as reoperations increased the postoperative mortality.