ASA PHYSICAL STATUS AND AGE ARE NOT FACTORS PREDICTING MORBIDITY, MORTALITY, AND SURVIVAL AFTER PANCREATICODUODENECTOMY

To evaluate the effects of age and physical status on postoperative co mplications, American Society of Anesthesiologists-Physical Status sco re (ASA score) and age were analyzed in patients undergoing pancreatod uodenectomy (PD). Medical records and follow-up results of 69 patients who had undergone PD from 1980 to 1993 at one institution were examin ed. Clinical variables affecting morbidity and mortality rates were an alyzed, and compared between two-aged groups (greater than or equal to 70 years (n = 18) and < 70 (n = 51)). Univariate Cox regression analy sis of 69 patients showed that ASA score and age were not significant factors affecting postoperative morbidity, mortality, and survival. Th e clinical variables including ASA score, gender, operative time, bloo d loss, stage, and location of carcinoma were similarly distributed be tween the two-aged groups. The mortality rate in patients less than 70 years of age was 5.9 per cent (3/51), whereas there was no mortality in patients more than 70 years of age. The morbidity, mortality, and c umulative survival rates were statistically similar in the two age gro ups. The results suggest that ASA-physical status and age are not limi ting factors for PD and do not predict survival. The procedure is safe and worthwhile even in patients more than 70 years of age with the AS A score up to III.