Risk stratification for elderly surgery

Abstract

Risk stratification takes an extra level of importance in the context of geriatric surgery. Risk stratification is not only essential for predicting for perioperative morbidity and mortality, but equally important is to predict for return to baseline function. As such, successful surgery is predicated not only on survival but the ability of the patient to return to their desired level of function and independence. This chapter discusses both the traditional risk scoring systems as well as specific geriatric tools and includes a discussion on the concept of frailty.