[Surgical risk in the elderly].

Analyses in the context of risk research prove to be clearly relevant to clinical practice, when it comes to diseases with increased postoperative morbidity and lethality. Results of surgical therapy are not in all cases satisfactory, if patients in advanced age are involved. A critical appraisal of this problem has continued to be necessary. Univariate and multivariate statistical techniques were used for an analysis of the data recorded from 481 patients above 80 years of age (1979 through 1985). A prognostic index is proposed as a result of the analysis.