Common health problems associated with aging—including dehydration, delirium, malnutrition, and falls—can turn catastrophic when they occur during recovery from major surgery, according to new research.
Seniors who experience these issues while recuperating from surgery face higher risk of death within one year and require longer stays in hospitals or nursing facilities, researchers reported on November 20 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Senior researcher Dr. Timothy Pawlik, a surgical oncologist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, stated in a news release: “A geriatric syndrome can be a ‘canary in the coal mine,’ signaling a patient’s underlying vulnerability.”
Pawlik emphasized: “It’s crucial we don’t dismiss these events as just a normal part of ‘getting older.’ These are important warning signs that a patient needs closer monitoring and tailored support, both in the hospital and after discharge.”
Study Scope
Researchers examined Medicare claims data for more than 780,000 patients older than 66 who underwent one of five major operations between 2016 and 2021.
The procedures included coronary artery bypass, lung removal, repair of an abdominal artery aneurysm, pancreas removal, or removal of part of the colon.
Key Findings
Nearly 11% of patients developed at least one new geriatric syndrome during hospitalization—such as delirium, dehydration, malnutrition, falls, or loss of bladder or bowel control.
Dehydration was the most prevalent complication, affecting 67% of patients, followed by delirium (25%) and malnutrition (13%).
Patients who developed one of these age-related health problems were significantly less likely to be discharged directly home. They spent a median of 16 fewer days at home during the three months following surgery—27% less time than those who didn’t develop a geriatric syndrome.
Seniors who experienced any one of these complications had double the risk of death within one year. That mortality risk more than tripled if a person developed two or more geriatric syndromes.
Risk Factors
Patients who were older and had other existing health conditions were more prone to developing post-surgical geriatric syndromes, researchers discovered. The risk also increased for those requiring emergency surgery.
However, minimally invasive procedures were associated with a 49% lower risk of developing a geriatric syndrome, results showed.
Implications for Patient Care
These findings demonstrate the importance of approaching surgery for older adults differently by accounting for their specific medical challenges, researchers concluded.
Pawlik stated: “By focusing on the unique needs of older patients, we can better anticipate, prevent, and manage these syndromes, which directly translates to helping patients get back home and back to their lives.”
This research highlights the need for specialized perioperative care protocols for elderly patients that recognize age-related health complications not as inevitable consequences of aging, but as serious, potentially life-threatening events requiring proactive management and prevention strategies.