[Cardiac surgery in the elderly].

In 1990, by consensus, the elderly patient in terms of cardiac surgery is a patient aged over 70. The special features of this population include the severity of symptomatology, the high incidence of left ventricular dysfunction and the high incidence of concomitant pathology. In the majority of cases the operative risk is controlled by a surgical strategy which takes into account the pathophysiology of the elderly patient and surgical techniques appropriate in the elderly. Over a 3 year period (1987-1990), 115 patients aged over 70 underwent cardiac surgery at the hands of our team with an early postoperative mortality rate of 7%: 5.6% following coronary surgery only, 8% following valve surgery only, 22% following combined surgery. Improved life expectancy and quality of life of patients was the rule in the majority of cases, thus fulfilling the aims of surgery.