Ochukpue Ceejay
University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
Title: Geriatric Anaesthesia in a Developing Country: Common Techniques and Complications.
Biography
Biography: Ochukpue Ceejay
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES:
Age itself is not a disease process but may be associated with age related diseases. However, with increasing age, the incidence and mortality is higher.1
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data was collected over a 13-year period (1997 -2010) for patients aged 60 years and above, undergoing both elective and emergency cases after approval from the Institution’s Ethics Committee. The study determined the patient’s demographics and characteristics, indication for surgery, grade of anaesthesia provider and analysed data using SPSS version 20.
RESULTS: There was a total of 1530 elderly patients within the 13-year study period. The mean age was 69.7 ± 7. 7 years with a modal age of 60 years. 64.9% of the study population were males. Most of the surgical cases were for cataract excision (28.3%) and malignancies (13.6%) under local anaesthesia (49.6%) and general anaesthesia (38.9%) respectively. Regional anaesthetic techniques were more commonly employed than general anaesthesia (p = 0.037, RR = 3.1, 95% CI 1.2 – 8). Consultant anaesthetists (15.8%), senior registrars (74.7%) and registrars (9.5%) provided anaesthesia for the geriatric population. Adverse outcomes recorded were hypotension (4.1%), haemmorhage (2.2%) and cardiac arrest (0.3%).
CONCLUSION: A high proportion of the anaesthetic care is for the elderly. There was a three-fold chance of regional anaesthesia than general anaesthesia for surgical procedures in the elderly. Although regional anaesthesia accounts for a high proportion of anaesthetic options, consultant anaesthetists should be more involved in the care of the elderly.