“STUDY OF SURGICAL PROBLEM IN OLD AGE PATIENTS”

Abstract

Background: Elderly patients frequently present with surgical emergencies to health care providers, and outcomes in this group of patients remain poor. Contributing factors include frailty, preexisting comorbidity, polypharmacy, delayed diagnosis, and lack of timely and consultant-led treatment. In this review, we address common emergency surgical presentations in the elderly and highlight the specic challenges in caring for these patients. We summarize 20 years of reports by various medical bodies that have aimed to improve the care of these patients. The prime aim of the surgeon is to prolong useful and good quality of life after surgery. Methods- The proposed study includes patients with age 60 years & above who were admitted through surgical Out Patient Department, Casualty &/or were transferred from other departments. Patients were then thoroughly examined with details of general, systemic and local examination and a provisional diagnosis was made on clinical grounds of the underlying surgical problems and associated systemic disorders with medical problems like hypertension, diabetes mellitus, nephropathy & mental illnesses. Results- Majority of patients were male (70.71%) with male: female ratio of 2.4:1 Elderly patients admitted were suffering from Medical illness associated with surgical problems commonest being DM (39.68%) followed by ANEMIA (35.15%), HTN (23.75%) and Tuberculosis (1.40%). Majority of elderly patients in both sexes were suffering from GIT disorders (27.31%). In males second common system involved was Genitourinary system (32.10%) followed by Skin & soft tissue lesions (20.58%), hernia (13.10%) and Hepato-biliary System (7.82%) In females second common system involved was Hepato-biliary system (25.66%) followed by skin & soft tissue lesion (23.88%), Breast lesions (6.25%). Conclusion- In geriatric age group a large number of operations are procrastinated because of co-existing medical illnesses, nancially dependent status of elderly, lack of support care system to look after in postoperative period specially in this era of nuclear family and above all his/her own reluctance for denitive surgery unless condition is life threatening. Finally, I wish to stress the importance of taken care of senior citizen. If not taken care of, a large number of very old patients on whom surgery will be difcult. I insist, the attention towards this fact..