Surgery in the aged.

The ageing process has changed little since the days of the psalmist. The number of elderly patients, however, is increasing. Old people seem more reluctant to undergo surgery than younger patients and more concerned with quality of life. The authors conducted a survey in a small community in British Columbia to determine the attitudes of old people towards surgery. The survey confirmed that they are reluctant to undergo surgery if there is an appreciable risk that they will be physically or mentally impaired afterwards. A substantial number also do not wish to undergo complicated procedures to prolong their lives. Quality of life and conservatism should be important considerations in the surgical management of elderly patients.