Gerontologists: age is not a hindrance for complex operations
The contraindication to high-tech operations in elderly patients with multiple diseases can only be their condition, and there are no age restrictions. This was told to Rossiyskaya Gazeta by the Russian Gerontological Research and Clinical Center of N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia.At the recent All-Russian Congress on Gerontology and Geriatrics the Russian Healthcare Minister Mikhail Murashko said that physicians cannot refuse complex care to a patient solely because he is elderly.
At the same time treatment of such comorbid (i.e. with multiple pathologies) patients requires a special approach - with the participation of doctors of different specialties.
The most common surgeries performed on such patients are hip and knee endoprosthetics, hand surgeries, corrective osteotomies, radiofrequency ablations, surgical treatment of prostate adenoma and others.
"Treatment of patients of advanced age, older than 80 years, has become routine for us," Ivan Sirotin, head of the orthopedic department of the N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical Center and an orthopedic traumatologist, told Rossiyskaya Gazeta. - Here is just one of many examples. Recently, a 85 year old man was admitted to us with pains in the hip joints, which had been tormenting him for a long time. The patient was diagnosed with coxarthrosis of the 4th, i.e. last, stage. The disease caused cartilage destruction and bone tissue overgrowth, and the patient found it difficult to move, was in constant pain, which greatly reduced his quality of life. Surgical intervention was required. In this regard, the man was prescribed an extended examination for concomitant pathologies that could cause complications after surgery. The patient was seen by a whole team of specialists - cardiologists, neurologists, urologists, and geriatricians. As a result, senile asthenia, widespread atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, bronchial asthma, circulatory failure, chronic kidney disease, as well as myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass surgery in the history were identified. For all of these conditions, we performed preparatory treatment."
When the patient's condition was stabilized, surgery took place.
"A few hours after the surgical treatment, the patient was already doing physical therapy exercises for a speedy recovery, and the next day he began walking with the support of crutches. Three days after surgery, he felt fine and was transferred to outpatient observation. Thus, age is not a contraindication for complex surgical interventions. The most important thing is competent preparation of advanced patients for high-tech treatment," concluded Ivan Sirotin.