Larson, Kelly J.

The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) has not been assessed for elderly (95 years of age or older) surgical patients. We examined the association between the CCI and life-threatening complications and 30-day mortality rate. Medical records of patients 95 years old or older from 2004 through 2008 were reviewed for major postoperative morbidity or death. Logistic regression analyses of age, sex, the CCI, American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Surgical Risk Stratification, and surgical urgency were performed to identify associations with poor surgical outcome. One hundred eighty-seven patients were identified (mean [standard deviation] age, 96.6 [1.9] years; median [interquartile range] CCI, 4 [2 to 6]). Ninety patients (48.1%) underwent moderate-risk and 20 (10.7%) underwent high-risk surgical procedures. Twenty patients (10.7%) died within 30 postoperative days and 20 others had major morbidity. Only moderate-risk ( P = 0.045) and high-risk surgical procedures ( P = 0.001) were associated with poor outcome. Patients of advanced age have high rates of morbidity and death after surgical procedures. These events are associated with surgical risk stratification and are independent of patient comorbidities. Risks, benefits, and alternatives must be considered carefully and discussed with patients and their families before deciding to proceed with high-risk surgery.

SummaryBackgroundOrganic acidurias (OAs) are rare inborn errors of metabolism that can present with various neurologic manifestations, propensity for acute metabolic decompensation with anion‐gap metabolic acidosis, developmental delay, poor feeding, and failure to thrive.ObjectiveIn this case series, we outline the anesthetic management and perioperative outcomes of OA patients.MethodsWe reviewed demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and perioperative course of patients with four different OAs who underwent anesthetic care at our institution between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2013.ResultsEleven patients with OA underwent 19 anesthetic procedures, of which 13 were <2 h in duration and seven were outpatient procedures. One patient with methylmalonic acidemia developed metabolic acidosis during a 10‐h procedure with substantial blood loss but lacked evidence that this acidosis could be attributed to his underlying metabolic disease. The patients who received hydration with lactated Ringer's solution and/or nitrous oxide anesthetic had a perioperative course free of metabolic complication. Two patients died within 30 days of surgery from causes likely to be unrelated to anesthetic exposure.ConclusionsOur patients with various forms of metabolically compensated OAs tolerated anesthetics for surgical procedures without metabolic decompensation, even when lactated Ringer's solution was used for hydration. Measures to prevent protein catabolism and intraoperative events that may precipitate metabolic acidosis, in addition to close monitoring of acid‐base status during more extensive procedures, must be part of perioperative treatment of these patients.