Objective To evaluate the cardiovascular risk for non-cardiac thoracic surgery (NCTS) in elderly patients with dobutamine stress echocardiography and to decrease surgical risk for NCTS in the geriatrics. Methods Dobutamine stress echocardiography was used for cardiovascular evaluation in 32 NCTS candidates aged over 65 years. Patients with positive echocardiography underwent coronary angiography. Postoperative course and all complications were carefully recorded for the study. Results No serious cardiovascular events occurred during the test except for atrial or ventricular premature contracts in 5 cases. In 2 patients (6.7%,2/30) dobutamine test was positive and coronary artery occlusion was proved by further angiography. Thoracotomy was performed in 28 cases, including 2 cases with dubious result at dobutamine test. Cardiopulmonary complications occurred in 13 patients (46.4%,13/28) after surgery. Supraventricular tachyarrhythmia was the most common complication, occurred in 8 patients (28.6%,8/28). One of the 2 patients with dubious result at dobutamine test developed definitive angina in the 5th postoperative day. The negative predictive value of dobutamine test was 100%. Conclusion Dobutamine stress echocardiography is a safe and effective method to evaluate major cardiovascular risk of NCTS in the geriatrics. But it is not predictive of tachyarrhythmia after surgery.
Objective To provide baseline date for further research by retrospectively investigating the disease constitution of over-60-year old patients in the West China Hospital of Sichuan University in 2011. Methods The information of over-60-year old outpatients was extracted from HIS and their diagnoses were classified by ICD-10. The data of single disease among top 3 categories of diseases were rearranged and analyzed by Excel software. Results The total of over-60-year old outpatients was 895 123 person-time in 2011, accounting for 19.65%, including 716 826 person-time in specialist outpatient clinics. The specialist diagnoses of 683 491 person-time could be classified by ICD-10, accounting for 95.35% of specialist outpatients. The top 12 diseases were neoplasm, circulatory, digestive, factors influencing health status and contacting with health services, respiratory, musculoskeletal system and connective tissues, nervous, eyes, symptoms/signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, non-classified, mental and behavioral disorders, endocrine, and genitourinary system diseases, and the cumulative constituent ratio was 92.96%. The main pathogenic sites of neoplasm were bronchus and lung (21.98%), esophagus (8.66%), stomach (8.10%), rectum (7.37%), prostate (5.86%), and liver and intrahepatic bile ducts (5.55%), with a cumulative constituent ratio of 57.72%. The main disease burden in circulatory system was hypertension (39.50%), chronic ischaemic heart disease (11.17%), and cerebral infarction (9.70%), and the cumulative constituent ratio was 60.38%. While the main disease burden in digestive system was gastritis and duodenitis (24.98%), other diseases of digestive system (9.26%), and other diseases of liver (8.90%), and the cumulative constituent ratio was 43.13%. There were more female than male among the over-60-year old outpatients (50.67% vs. 49.33%), and male was higher than female only in the incidence of neoplasm, respiratory, factors influencing health status and contacting with health services, and genitourinary system diseases. The disease constitution ratio of 60-69 years old patients was 58.21%. The top 3 neoplasm were the malignant tumors in digestive (38.20%), respiratory and intrathoracic organs (24.70%), and lymphoid, haematopoietic and related tissue (11.97%), with a cumulative constituent ratio of 74.87%. Conclusion The top 3 disease burden of over-60-year old outpatients in West China Hospital were neoplasm, circulatory and digestive diseases, which reflects the trend and law of treatment demands of old patients. It needs to deeply analyze the frequency and flow pattern of patients, and to provide evidence for preventing and treating geriatric diseases.
Objective To review the outcomes of geriatric distal humeral fracture fixed with locking compression plate (LCP). Methods From January 2005 to December 2007, 24 patients (20 females and 4 males) with distal humeral fracture underwent open reduction and internal fixation with LCP. Their average age was 75.5 years old, ranged from 60 to 93 years old. Fracture was caused by injury from fall in 22 cases, by traffic accident in 1 case, and by direct hit in 1 case. There were 12 cases of type A2, 2 cases of type A3, 2 cases of type B1, 2 cases of type C1, 2 cases of type C2, 4 cases of type C3 fractures according to AO/ASIF classification. X-ray films in AP and lateral view were taken preoperatively. CT scan with three dimensional reconstructions was done in more comminuted fracture only. Open reduction with triceps sparingtechnique was used in all except type B fracture, and olecranon osteotomy was considered only in more comminuted C3fracture. The average interval between injury and operation was 3 days (range, 1-6 days). Outcome measures includedpain assessment, range of motion, and Mayo elbow performance score and findings at 1 year follow-up. Results Theaverage length of follow-up was 25 months (range, 12-48 months). All 24 fractures were healed within 6 months with anaverage of about 4 months. At 1 year follow-up, 83% (n=20) of patients felt no pain and 17% (n=4) of patients had mildpain; 83% of patient can gain a flexion range of more than 100°; according to Mayo elbow performance score, the meanscores of type A, B and C fracture groups were 97, 85, and 89, respectively, and the post-operative performance of typeA fracture was significantly better than that of type B and C (P=0.034). Four patients had postoperative compl ications.Conclusion Open reduction and internal fixation of geriatric distal humeral fracture can achieve relatively good functionalresult and bony union despite of age.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of comprehensive prophylaxis for deep venous thrombosis(DVT) after proximal femur fractures in geriatric patients. Methods From July 2003 to May 2006, 157 geriatric patients with proximal femur fractures treated with operation were divided into prophylaxis group and control group randomly. There were 82 patients (34 males, 48 females, aged 65-97 years) in prophylaxis group, 30 with femoral neck fracture and 52 with intertrochanteric fracture of femur. There were 75 patients (33 males, 42 females, aged 65-94 years) in control group, 28 with femoral neck fracture and 47 with intertrochanteric fracture of femur. In the prophylaxis group, comprehensive prophylaxis for DVT which included Aspirin, fibrinolytic enzyme, passive and active circumduction of the foot and ankle, CPM management wasappl ied. In the control group, no thromboproxylaxis was taken. All patients in the both groups received color doppler flow imaging (CDFI) examination before operation and on the 7th and 14th days after operation. Results CDFI found 2 cases of DVT in the prophylaxis group 7 and 14 days after operation respectively, while 21 and 15 cases of DVT in the control group respectively. The incidence of DVT was 48.0% in the control group compared with 4.9% in the prophylaxis group and the reduction was significant (P lt; 0.01). One patient gave up the intervention due to Melena 3 days after operation in the prophylaxis group. In the control group, 1 patient died 8 days after operation and another died 11 days after operation. Both died of acute pulmonary embol ism confirmed by autopsy. Conclusion The comprehensive prophylaxis can significantly decrease the incidence of DVT in geriatric patients after proximal femur fractures. There is no significant adverse effect during the intervention.
With the acceleration of population aging, the health problems and care service needs of the elderly are increasing, while the capacity for family-based care is declining. To address these challenges, China has proposed the "integrated medical and nursing care" service model, which integrates medical and health services with elderly care. Geriatric medicine is one of the key technical components of this integrated service model. This study aims to construct a technical standard system for geriatric medicine within the integrated medical and elderly care services. It mainly includes the basic principles, overall framework, structure, and explanations of the geriatric medicine technical standard system, providing a technical and directional framework for the geriatric medicine technical standard system in the context of integrated medical and elderly care services.
Objective To investigate epidemiological characteristics of geriatric hip fractures between 2010 and 2011 in Hebei province. Methods The digital radiography image data and basic information of patients above 60 years old with hip fractures (femoral neck fracture, femoral intertrochanteric fracture, and femoral head fracture) in 5 hospitals of Hebei province between January 2010 and December 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. All the data including patients’ gender, age, and AO types were abstracted and analyzed to investigate the epidemiologic characteristics of geriatric hip fractures in Hebei province. Results A total of 4 207 hip fracture patients above 60 years old were included, accounting for 59.61% of all patients with hip fractures and 26.24% of all fractures patients over 60 years old in the same period. There were 1 703 (40.48%) males and 2 504 (59.52%) females (M∶F=1∶1.47). The patients ranged in age from 61 to 99 years, with an average of 75.4 years; the majority of patients aged 70-79 years (43.97%) and the minority of the patients aged 90-99 years (2.02%); women of all ages were more than men, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). According to AO classification, there were 2 118 cases (50.34%) of type 31-A, 2 004 case (47.63%) of type 31-B, and 85 cases (2.02%) of type 31-C. Except for the type 31-A1, 31-A3, and 31-C1 of 60-69 age group, and the type 31-A3 of 80-89 age groups, women were significantly more than men. Conclusion There are more women than men in hip fractures in Hebei province, and 70-79 age group is the high-risk age group of geriatric hip fractures. Among them, intertrochanteric comminuted fractures are common types.
ObjectiveTo analyze the methods and effects of the reformation of undergraduate course of geriatric nursing in China. MethodsIn the spring semester of 2012 and 2013, we implemented the experiential scenario teaching and autonomous group learning with simulation and heuristic teaching method, and the nursing undergraduates were given scale of Kogan's attitude toward older people and Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz 1 for investigation. The attitude to and knowledge on the elderly were compared before and after the study. Meanwhile, we also surveyed the interest in geriatric nursing among the students. ResultsThe interest in, attitude to and knowledge on the elderly among the students increased considerably after the teaching reformation. ConclusionThe undergraduate course teaching reformation of geriatric nursing with the simulation and heuristic teaching method has achieved good effects, and it can be widely used in geriatric nursing teaching in China. In the future, the reformation should focus on improving the students' professional interests and career choice.
ObjectiveTo introduce the clinical pathway for geriatric hip fracture regulated by our hospital and report the five-year outcomes after the implementation of the pathway. MethodsThe geriatric hip fracture patients treated between September 2003 and August 2012 were followed up. We did not implement the clinical pathway until January 2007. Statistical analysis was done to evaluate the effect of the clinical pathway on patient outcomes by comparing rate of complication, mortality, and length of hospital stay before and after the implementation of the clinical pathway. ResultsAfter the implementation of the pathway, the in-hospital mortality, one-year mortality and the rate of complication were significantly lower. Besides, the time from admission to operation and the total length of stay in hospital were obviously shortened. ConclusionThe use of clinical pathway for geriatric hip fracture can reduce the rate of complication and mortality, and shorten hospital stay, and the five-year outcomes after the implementation of the pathway are satisfying.
ObjectiveTo summarize the research progress of multidisciplinary team (MDT) co-management models in the clinical treatment of geriatric hip fractures.MethodsThe literature about types and characteristics of MDT for geriatric hip fracture treatment were extensively reviewed, and the advantages of its clinical application were analysed and summarised. Finally, the MDT model and characteristics of geriatric hip fracture in the Zhongda Hospital affiliated to Southeast University were introduced in detail.ResultsClinical models of MDT are diverse and have their own characteristics, and MDT can shorten the length of stay and waiting time before operation, reduce the incidence of internal complications, save labor costs, and reduce patient mortality.ConclusionThe application of MDT in the treatment of geriatric hip fracture has achieved remarkable results, which provides an optimal scheme for the treatment of geriatric hip fracture.
Objective To assess the risk factors associated with postoperative infection after elective abdominal operation for elderly in department of general surgery. Methods One hundred and fifty-nine consecutive elderly patients admitted to the department of general surgery in our hospital for elective abdominal operation between May 2010 and February 2012 were considered for inclusion and retrospectively analyzed. Thirty-eight patients (23.90%)with postoperative infection were taken as the infection group and 121 patients without postoperative infection as noninfection group. The differences in the objective physiological indicators, subjective health status indicators, operation status, the incidence of postoperative infective complications, and mortality were compared between the two groups. Results Of enrolled 159 patients in this study, the incidence of postoperative infective complications was 23.90% (38/159); 2 patients died, and the postoperative mortality rate was 1.26%. Single factor and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative malnutrition risk, history of diabetes, and chronic respiratory system disease were the independent risk factors of postoperative infection complications in elective abdominal surgery for elderly patients. Conclusion Improving preoperative respiratory function, diabetes mellitus, and nutritional status would help to reduce incidence of postoperative infection for elderly patients with elective abdominal operation.