[Surgical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm in the elderly]

Because of the increasing longevity of man, more elderly patients of abdominal aortic aneurysm are being considered for surgical treatment. It is the purpose of this report to provide the data based on analysis of 23 patients, 70 years of age or older, compared with 26 patients, under 70 years of age, seen at our institution during the last 8-year period so that a rational decision can be made regarding abdominal aortic aneurysm operation in the elderly. Operation in the elderly group (n = 17) and in the younger group (n = 25) was associated with 5.9% and 4.0% operative mortality, respectively. Calculated actuarial survival at 5 years was 69.2% for operated elderly, 0% for non-operated elderly and 57.8% for operated younger groups. Rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm was a high cause of death (40%) in the non-operated elderly group. Considering operative mortality, long-term survival and natural history of unoperated abdominal aortic aneurysms, our conclusion is that regardless of age of patients and size of aneurysms, operation should be recommended as a general rule for the elderly as for the younger patients.