Publications by authors named "Bechara F Akl"
Background: The octogenarian patient is often perceived as too fragile to undergo cardiothoracic surgery. Our study aimed to compare postoperative complications in patients aged less than 80 versus elderly patients (80 years or more) after surgical cardiac intervention (coronary artery bypass or valve replacement).
Methods: Subjects were all patients (n = 8,361) who had an open-heart procedure, either coronary artery bypass or valve implantation or replacement, at two medical centers located in northern Virginia using the same surgical group.