Counsel the elderly about increased risks of urogynecologic procedures.(Gynecology)

ATLANTA -- Advanced age is an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality and perioperative complications in women undergoing urogynecologic surgery, Vivian W. Sung, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American Urogynecologic Society.

In a retrospective cohort study of 264,340 women who underwent inpatient urogynecologic procedures from 1998 to 2002, the in-hospital mortality rate was 2.8% in those aged 80 and older, compared with 0.9% in those 70-79 years old, 0.5% in those aged 60-69, and 0.1% in those younger than 60, said Dr. Sung of Brown University, Providence, R.I.

The findings have important implications for counseling older women about urogynecologic surgery options, because elective surgeries to improve quality of life in these patients are increasingly common. "Elderly women should not be excluded from procedures that may improve their quality of life; however, it is appropriate to consider age alone when counseling women," Dr. Sung said.

Of the study participants, 19% were aged 60-69 years, 16% were aged 70-79 years, and 4% were at least 80 years old.

The perioperative complication rate was 20% in those ages 80 and older, 16% for those aged 70-79, 13% for those aged 60-69, and 14% for those under age ...