P Mendes Da Costa | PubMed Health

PubMedDate not supplied

Evolution during half a century of the results of digestive surgery in geriatric patients. A review of the literature, experience at C.H.U. Brugmann and the medium term outlook.

The undertaking of complex and major surgical procedures on frail elderly patients with multiple disorders has always been and still remains a controversial and enigmatic issue. At the same time, in an increasingly ageing society, the need for such procedures will extend and patients will expect a more favourable outcome. Surgery in old age will, therefore, pose an ongoing challenge. With better anaesthetic management, surgical techniques and comprehensive geriatric assessment, the overall results for all surgery have improved remarkably over the last few decades. Stringent pre-operative assessment and rigorous post-operative care have achieved a significant reduction in mortality and morbidity; surgery has become a lot safer.

Aged↗

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Intra-abdominal lymphatic malformation.

Intra-abdominal lymphangioma is a rare congenital lymphatic vascular malformation. It is found, most commonly, in adult patients who present with abdominal pain, and whom medical imaging (ultrasound, endoscopy and tomography) reveals a cystic intra-abdominal mass. Such masses may be on the mesentery, in contact with abdominal viscera or may be part of the visceral wall. Diagnosis of intra-abdominal lymphangioma is difficult because of its rarity, and because other pathologies may have the same radiological signs. The diagnosis is confirmed by anatomopathological examination with immunohistochemistry. The treatment is complete surgical excision, in order to prevent recurrence.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗