Prognosis following emergency surgery for ulcerative colitis in elderly patients

PURPOSE: Since 2000, the incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) in patients over 60 years old has been rapidly increasing. We reviewed our surgical experience of elderly patients with UC treated at our hospital. METHODS: Patients aged 60 years or older at the time of surgery were defined as “elderly”. The medical records of all elderly patients who underwent surgery for UC during a 26-year period were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The prognosis of elderly patients who underwent emergency surgery was extremely poor: 8 (26.7 %) of 30 such patients died within 30 postoperative days (PODs), whereas only 1 (0.88 %) of 114 who underwent elective surgery died within 30 PODs. Respiratory tract infection and sepsis resulting from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or mycotic infection were the most common causes of death after emergency surgery. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of elderly UC patients undergoing emergency surgery is very poor; thus, physicians and surgeons should collaborate to treat severe and fulminant disease, to optimize the timing of surgery. Early decisions about emergency surgery for UC will reduce postoperative mortality, especially in elderly patients.