Post operative care in elderly patients

The aging population of Europe and North America results in increasing numbers of surgical operations on elderly patients and set new level of training for therapeutic teams. The elderly patients present with unique health-care challenges, they require particular attention during the process of risk stratification and operation. Advanced age (80 years and more) independently predicts surgical risk of mortality or postoperative cardiovascular and central nervous system occurrences. That risk is independent from coexisting medical conditions that can be observed in older people. Good risk stratification systems, optimal intra and postoperative care can decrease but do not stop surgical morbidity and mortality. The increasing problem of delirium or postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) still remain before fully understanding and results in distress to the patient, treatment team and family members.