[Intestinal obstruction in the elderly. Causes, interventions, postop complications and risk factors]. / L'occlusione intestinale nel paziente grande anziano. Cause, interventi, complicanze postoperatorie e fattori di rischio.

Forty-eight patients aged 80 or more were operated on for intestinal obstruction mainly due to incarcerated hernias (39.6%) and colonic neoplasms (27.1%). The morbility rate was 27.1% and the mortality rate was 8.3%. The study of the variables frequently related to the risk of postoperative complications (cancer, intraoperative contamination, emergency and blood transfusion) showed statistical significance only for blood transfusion. The others (emergency included) did not have a prognostic significance in this series.