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Introduction. An increasing proportion of the population is living into their nineties and beyond. These high risk patients are now presenting more frequently to both elective and emergency surgical services.

While older physicians may be physically frail, they generally have a wealth of knowledge and years of experience that hospitals would be loath to lose. "It's probably a small percentage of surgeons in their 70s who have trouble," Katlic said.

VARIABLES THAT AFFECT SURGICAL MORTALITY The first area of importance is physiology. Physiologic changes occur in many organ systems with aging. Many of these changes result in decreases in physiologic reserve.

Age may bring wisdom but it also brings a greater chance of health problems, and some health problems might require surgery to make you better. In fact, 1 in 10 people who have surgery are 65 or older. While being older makes surgery more likely, it can also increase your potential for risks during procedures.

While it is true that an elderly person has a higher risk of complications during and after surgery, that does not mean that a person should expect the worst during or soon after surgery just because they are no longer in their youth.

Many surgeons get greater satisfaction, and certainly greater recompense, from their private practice than they do from the Public Health Service, and although many resent having to depart the Public Health Service at age 65, many are mollified by being allowed to continue their private practice to age 70.

SURGEON PROFILE I don't have any age limits and look at the overall health of a person to see if they are healthy enough for surgery. Thinks like obesity, smoking, uncontrolled diabetes, heart disease may preclude you from surgery.