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This study concerns the relationship of anesthesia and related factors to surgical morbidity and mortality in 178 males over the age of 70 who underwent 204 operations. Of the 110 complications during anesthesia, arterial hypotension was the most common. Postoperatively there were 139 complications, and 16 deaths. The influences of age, pre‐anesthetic risk, type and duration of surgery, type of anesthesia, and the occurrence of hypotension during surgery are discussed in relation to the postoperative course. Adequate preoperative preparation of elderly patients is extremely important. This includes complete examination, replacement of any blood volume deficits, and possibly prophylactic digitalization. Epidural block anesthesia resulted in higher operative and postoperative morbidity and mortality. Hypotension during anesthesia was more common when halothane was the main anesthetic. Postoperative morbidity and mortality were higher in patients anesthetized by a combination of nitrous oxide, muscle relaxants and intravenously administered sedation.

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