Trauma in the Aged

• Authors: Leszek Brongel , Waldemar Hładki , Tomasz Grodzicki , Jacek Friedlein , Rafał Nazimek , Jacek Lorkowski , Marek Kuliś , Piotr Budzyński
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

After accidents, elderly patients (aged 75 years and older) have been demonstrated to have increased mortality rates after trauma, however, the prognosis of those patients surviving their hospitalization is unknown. We hypothesized that surviving elderly patients would also have decreased functional outcomes.The aim of the study. This study examined the outcome of elderly patients exposed to varying trauma relative to all trauma patients.Material and methods. This was a retrospective study of 5046 patients with trauma in 2001-2005 treated. 972 of these patients were aged 75 or more. Data included demographics, risks factors, cause of trauma, operative or conservative management and result of treatment.Results. Mechanisms of injury were falls (almost 90%), motor vehicle collisions (8%) and other. Statistical differences in the mechanisms of trauma between the studied and younger groups were observed. The mortality rate was doubled in the older group. Almost 2/3 of the patients underwent surgery. The strategy of management and treatment of elderly trauma patients has not been studied in the literature. This group may require special management and monitoring, and if possible, noninvasive modes of treatment. There are big advantages by aggressive, operative treatment of oldest patients, but is the "thin red line" in profits and loss in this group.Conclusions. In our opinion, it is necessity to operate on all elderly patients in good overall condition who were mobile and of good mental status prior to the accident, status, but we do not recommend operations in low-risk patients or those with bad prognosis for successful rehabilitation.

Keywords

EN

elderly; functional outcome; risk of operation; trauma in the aged

• Publisher: Index Copernicus International
• Journal: Polish Journal of Surgery
• Year: 2007
• Volume: 79
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 106-112

Dates

published

1 - 2 - 2007

online

24 - 9 - 2007

Contributors

author

Leszek Brongel

• Department of Emergency Medicine and Multiple Injuries, Medicum Jagiellonian University, Cracow

author

Waldemar Hładki

• Department of Emergency Medicine and Multiple Injuries, Medicum Jagiellonian University, Cracow

author

Tomasz Grodzicki

• Chair of General Surgery Collegium, Medicum Jagiellonian University, Cracow

author

Jacek Friedlein

• Department of Emergency Medicine and Multiple Injuries, Medicum Jagiellonian University, Cracow

author

Rafał Nazimek

• Department of Emergency Medicine and Multiple Injuries, Medicum Jagiellonian University, Cracow

author

Jacek Lorkowski

• Department of Emergency Medicine and Multiple Injuries, Medicum Jagiellonian University, Cracow

author

Marek Kuliś

• Department of Emergency Medicine and Multiple Injuries, Medicum Jagiellonian University, Cracow

author

Piotr Budzyński

• Department of Emergency Medicine and Multiple Injuries, Medicum Jagiellonian University, Cracow

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Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/v10035-007-0017-7