Analysis of geriatric surgical experience in a veterans home.

Surgical experience at the hospital of a State Veterans Home is reviewed over a period of two and half years (1973-1975). The average age of the patients was 74 years, and many had severe pulmonary or cardiac disease. Of the operations performed, 283 were major and 301 were minor. For the major operations (including emergencies) the mortality rate was 4.2 percent, for the minor procedures the rate was zero, and for all types of procedures the overall mortality rate was 2 percent. Emergency operations increased the expected mortality tenfold. Colonic and biliary-tract operations bore the highest mortality. The incidence of malignant lesions was high. In the elderly, indicated surgical procedures are justified, provided they are carried out by an organized, highly trained health team.