Geriatric anesthesia

Abstract

Old age brings a considerable number of anatomical and physiological changes which are important in the preparation and conduction of geriatric anesthesia. These changes are briefly reviewed in this article. If the preoperative preparation and the choice and conduct of anesthesia are handled with care, the operative mortality and morbidity of aged patients should not be materially greater than that of other age groups. Aged patients need careful supervision in the postoperative period. Pulmonary and cardiovascular complications are more frequent and more dangerous in this agegroup. Their early recognition and treatment as soon as they appear will reduce the postoperative mortality. Therefore, a short or longer stay in a well-equipped intensive care unit may be highly beneficial.