Colon cancer is the most frequent malignant disease among the elderly, reports an article published in the September 2000 issue of "The Lancet." A common treatment of colon cancer is surgery to remove the affected part of the tumor. Colon surgery is a generally safe but invasive type of surgery that poses several risks for complications. The complications are generally similar between young and elderly patients, although surgery in elderly patients does present certain unique risks.
Anesthesia Risks
Colon surgery requires general anesthesia to put the patient completely asleep. Although usually safe, anesthesia carries certain risks, including strokes and kidney failure, explains the Patient Education Institute. Respiratory problems, such as pneumonia, are also possible. Anesthesia also increases the risk of blood clots in the legs. Blood clots can potentially break away from the site of formation and travel to the lungs, where they can cause additional problems including chest pain, shortness of breath and possibly death. The study published in "The Lancet" found an increased risk of strokes, respiratory problems, cardiovascular complications and blood clots in elderly patients.
Incision Risks
Every type of surgery that involves an incision into the body creates risks related to the incision. Infection of the incision site is one common complication, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons notes. Infections deep within the abdominal cavity, which are known as peritonitis, may result from the surgery to the colon. Excessive bleeding is another possible complication, which may require treatment with a blood transfusion in some cases. The study published in "The Lancet" did not find any changes in rates of infection or bleeding in elderly patients. However, the study did find that recovery time and post-surgical hospital stays were generally longer in patients over the age of 65.
Anastomotic Leak
Colon surgery usually involves the removal of part of the colon and reattachment of the two ends of the remaining colon. The junction where the two parts of the colon are reattached to each other is called the anastomosis. One possible complication of colon surgery is breakdown of this anastomosis, which leads to intestinal contents leaking into the abdominal cavity, possibly causing infection, according to the Patient Education Institute. The study published in "The Lancet" found that rates of anastomotic leak were the same in elderly patients as in younger patients.
Abdominal Injury
Other organs in the abdomen may possibly be damaged as a result of colon surgery. The spleen, stomach and intestines could possibly be perforated, leading to several different complications involving these organs. Similarly, the bladder or other urinary structures might be damaged, which could lead to bladder infections, according to the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. In some cases, the condition of the colon may be too deteriorated to reattach it to the rectum, and the colon may need to be attached to an opening in the abdominal wall, known as a stoma, though which stools will exit the body. The incidence of these complications were found to be similar in younger and elderly patients, according to the study published in "The Lancet."
Increased Mortality
The study in "The Lancet" found a significant increase in mortality within 30 days of colon surgery, which was six times as common in patients over the age of 85 compared to patients under the age of 65. However, the study pointed out that older patients were more likely to undergo emergency surgery in more advanced stages of colon cancer. The authors concluded that many complicated factors were involved in determining survival after colon surgery in elderly patients.
