ABDOMINAL AORTIC-ANEURYSM IN THE ELDERLY

Thirty-five patients over the age of 80 years underwent surgery for ab dominal aortic aneurysm between January 1985 and December 1990. Of the se, 25 had surgery for ruptured aneurysm (mortality rate 56 per cent) and ten had surgery for symptomatic or asymptomatic aneurysm (mortalit y rate zero). The mortality rate for patients with rupture aged over 8 0 years was considerably, greater than that for those under 80 years o f age (56 versus 36 per cent). The mortality rate in the elderly popul ation was zero for elective surgery but in those under 80 years it was 5 per cent. During the study period a prospective analysis of all ref errals with aortic aneurysm was carried out, whether or not they under went surgery and whether or not they were admitted to hospital. The ra tio of patients accepted for operation to those not accepted for opera tion was 92:59 (1.56:1) in the under 80-year-old age group and 12:34 ( 0.35:1) in those aged over 80 years.