Transfusion in the elderly patient: keep your finger off the button?

摘要

It has been gratifying to witness the increased interest in surgery in the older patient, and a pleasure to comment on this topic for Annals of Surgery. This interest has been highlighted by a progressive increase in the number of publications focused on surgery in geriatric patients,1 including publications in Annals. Over the last 2 decades, the annual number of articles in this journal with a focus on patients aged >65 increased by 36% (PUBMED search). There is a need for this interest; it is well established that our population is aging rapidly, and the "pyramidal shape" of our population-where the small number of surviving elders rest on top of the pyramid and increasing numbers of younger people rest below-is reforming into a trapezoidal/rectangular shape. In the latter, similar proportions of younger and older persons exist at different age groups. As our population demographic changes, the demands on health care will too, and surgical resources will need to be allocated appropriately.