Valve replacement in the elderly patients

Objective: Retrospective assessment of short and long-term outcome in elderly undergoing primary isolated Valvular Heart Surgery (VR). Methods: Records of 172 consecutive geriatrics (range of age 65-80) having VR between 2000 and 2008 were reviewed and follow-up. The search strategy combined terms for specified cardiac surgical procedures with terms for risk factors, age factors, outcomes and quality of life which were determined by short form 36 (SF36). Results: Preoperatively, 23 patients (14%) were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) function class IV, 71 patients (41%) in class III and 78 patients (45%) in class II. Operations were performed with urgent or emergent surgical priority in 31 patients (18%). There were four in-hospital deaths (2. 3%). Conclusions: Although open heart surgery can be safely performed in many elderly patients, this study showed several factors that might help both in case selection and in perioperative decisions that will determine the short and long-term outcome. © 2009 Indian Association of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgeons.