Renal insufficiency predicts mortality in geriatric patients undergoing emergent general surgery.

Clinical predictors of perioperative mortality in geriatric patients undergoing emergent general surgery have not been well described. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of postoperative morbidity and mortality in geriatric patients and factors associated with mortality. A retrospective review of patients 65 years of age or older undergoing emergent general surgery at a public teaching hospital was performed over a 7-year period.

Decreased bile duct injury rate during laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the era of the 80-hour resident workweek.

Background: Considerable concern has been raised about the effects of restricted duty hours on surgical training. However, to our knowledge, the effect of the 80-hour resident workweek on operative outcomes after laparoscopic cholecystectomy has not been well studied.

Objective: To compare the rates of bile duct injury and overall complications after laparoscopic cholecystectomy before and after the institution of the duty-hour restriction.