Surgery is no fun at any age, but with each passing birthday the potential for risky senior surgeries increases.

In my preparation for this blog about risky senior surgeries I discovered that a team of researchers recently compiled a list of 277 risky procedures for older adults age 65 and older.

The researchers wanted to prepare seniors for potentially risky surgical outcomes.

The study was published in JAMA Surgery and was generated by using admissions data.

According to Considerable’s recent article entitled “These 10 surgeries are considered “uniquely high risk” for older adults,” scientists found 10 surgeries to be especially problematic for older patients.

With each passing birthday, the likelihood of risky senior surgeries increases.

So, here are the top 10 risky senior surgeries:

1. Adrenal Gland Removal (Adrenalectomy). This is the removal of one or both of the adrenal glands which produce hormones necessary in carrying out daily bodily functions. A tumor can form on the glands and cause increased hormone production. When this happens, the gland(s) needs to be removed. The typical recovery time after this surgery is two to six weeks. The risks include blood clots, infections, and high blood pressure.
2. Plaque Buildup Removal from the Carotid Arteries (Carotid Endarterectomy). This is a procedure that removes plaque buildup from inside a carotid artery in the neck. It is performed to restore blood flow to the brain when there are symptoms of reduced blood flow. A carotid endarterectomy is typically preventative of a stroke and removes blockages that might trigger one. The risks include clotting, stroke, or death, but taking anti-clotting medicines before and after can reduce these risks.
3. Arm Blood-Vessel Replacement (Peripheral Vascular Bypass Surgery). Blood vessel replacement in the arm improves blood flow when one or more of the arteries become narrowed or blocked. A blood vessel from another part of the body or a synthetic blood vessel is used to replace the damaged blood vessel. Risks include irregular heartbeat, infection and death.
4. Resection or Replacement of Abdominal Veins. When a blood vessel causes tissue injury in the abdomen, some of the tissue might need to be removed or replaced. Risks can include pulmonary embolism, infection and excess bleeding.
5. Varicose Vein Removal. These veins form in the legs, when the valves in the veins are not functioning properly. This risky senior surgery can cause pain, blood clots, or bleeding. A doctor might recommend varicose vein removal, which has risks that include nerve injury, heavy bleeding, and infection.
6. High Gastric Bypass. Weight loss surgery changes how the stomach and small intestine handle the food a person eats. There are several criteria that must be met to receive this procedure. High Gastric Bypass can pose major risks and complications, such as malnutrition, perforation of stomach or intestines and dumping syndrome (when food gets “dumped” directly from the stomach pouch into the small intestine without being digested).
7. Proctopexy (Rectal Prolapse Surgery). This procedure is performed to correct stool leakage, inability to control bowel movements (fecal incontinence), or obstructed bowel movements. This procedure helps put the rectum back in place. This risky senior surgery can include damage to nearby nerves and organs, narrowing (stricture) of the anal opening and development of new or worsened constipation.
8. Bile Duct Excision. If a tumor is blocking the flow of bile to the bile ducts, a surgeon may remove them. Nausea, jaundice, or a high temperature (over 101) are potential risks.
9. Urinary Reconstruction. Sometimes a person’s urinary bladder is removed because of cancer, a non-working bladder, or another medical reason. This procedure creates a new way for urine to exit the body when a bladder is not present. A risk of this procedure is urine backing up into the kidneys, causing infections, stone formation, or organ damage over time.
10. Ureter Repair. When the ureter is injured (i.e., scar tissue forms after an accident or surgery), more risky senior surgeries might be required to repair it. Complications include chest pain, blood clots and trouble urinating.

A note on dental exams. Dental examinations should be considered before any of these risky senior surgeries—but they are especially important for certain heart surgeries, along with joint replacements that use implanted devices.

With both joint replacement and cardiovascular valve replacement surgery, the risk of the bacteria from the mouth traveling systemically to the surgical site is very high.

During a dental procedure, the gum tissue can be broken and that allows bacteria from the mouth to enter the bloodstream.

The bacteria can go to any foreign material in the body and attach, frequently developing a biofilm.

This makes it very difficult to treat with antibiotics alone.

As a result, surgical removal may be required for complete eradication.

Whatever you do, make sure you have fundamental advance health care directives executed before you have surgery of any kind.

Reference: Considerable (Nov. 4, 2020) “These 10 surgeries are considered “uniquely high risk” for older adults”