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Doctors are requesting surgery for my grandpa. Is it the right thing to do?
My grandfather who is around 82 years had a major fall while walking. He went to the hospital and surgery is being recommended. Will this be okay considering his age? He is otherwise healthy and active.
8 Answers
Yes, physiological age is on his side.
Usually, surgery is safe for an eldery patient. Maybe surgery could help to keep your grandpa healthy and active.
If there are no contraindications, he should have the surgery as indicated by his doctor.
Age in an of itself is not a contraindication to surgery. It's the patient's overall health, which does tend to decline in more senior people. Check out this link:
ACS Risk Calculator - Home Page
Yes it is ok to have surgery at his age. it is common for patients his age to have a broken hip or extremity after a fall. The fall can cause many other issues, but it must be fixed.
Get his evaluation for fitness and get a good check of his heart and pulmonary function.
What kind of a life will he have if he does not have the surgery? We need to think about them and what they want, not us. I think we want to think when a loved one gets old, they do not know best. They may not, but it is their life. Don't treat him like a child, he made it 82 years and he must have made some right decisions. I would love to meet him myself.
I have operated on plenty of 82 year old people with good results. On the other hand, I have recommended non-operative posture for some 50-somethings because of excessive risk factors.