Unplanned hospital readmission of older adults having undergone digestive surgery.

Abstract

Decreasing the risk of unplanned hospital readmission in older adults is of major concern in public health. If this risk is heightened in comparison with the general population in those having undergone digestive surgery, it is due not only to more frequent occurrence of postoperative complications, but also to overall frailty, which combines comorbidities, functional disorders and dependency. Moreover, given that any unplanned readmission is a major event in the life of an elderly patient, counteraction to its consequences (immobilization syndrome, malnutrition, cognitive disorders, loss of autonomy…) must be considered by the entire surgical team, in coordination with geriatric specialists, as the priority. Readmission prevention is based on a dedicated, comprehensive geriatric assessment accompanied by an individualized, multidisciplinary prehabilitation program. The intervention of geriatricians before and after surgery is likely to improve perioperative management of the elderly patient, thereby reducing the frequency and impact of hospital readmission.