In this study, disease aspects and background factors affecting prognosis were reviewed and analyzed in a total of 45 aged patients (≥70 years old) who had undergone emergency operations for acute abdomen.
1) Colorectal cancer accounted for 70 per cent of malignant disorders. All the colorectal cancer patients but one had non-curative operations.
2) The incidence of perforated appendicitis was high (58.7%) as in the past. But no great difference was found in clinical course between aged patients and younger patients.
3) Incarcerated hernia occurred only in females advanced in years (mean age: 80.6 years). All the patients with incarcerated hernia have been suffering from prolapse long since but they had not been informed that they were at risk.
4) Preoperative complications were found in 81.8% of all the cases. Arrythmia, hypertension, and diabetes were observed most frequantly.
5) The most common postoperative complication was pneumonia. Preoperative complications were well controllable and causead no serious postoperative complications.
6) The one-year uneventful survival rate was 93.5% in the patients without malignacy. We concluded that this percentage was satisfactory, considering that their mean age was 76.8 years. On the other hand, in the patients with malignancy, the establishment of medical check-ups for early detection of colorectal cancer would have resulted in better prognosis.