胸腺切除治疗重症肌无力的远期疗效

目的 探讨胸腺切除治疗重症肌无力的远期疗效。方法 １９９０年４月地１９９４年８月胸腺切除治疗重症肌无力１２４例中,１０４例获得远期随访随访期平均为２３．６个月。患者平均年龄２９．２岁。术前病程平均为３４．２个月。按改良Ｏｓｓｅｎｎａｎ标准分为Ⅰ型２９例、Ⅱ型６４例、Ⅲ型１１例。随访疗效评价分优、良、无效和差。结果 总有效率为８２．７％,无效１３．５％,差１．９％,２例死亡,手术疗效与临床分型,术前     

Modified Maximal Thymectomy for Thymic Epithelial Tumors: Predictors of Survival and Neurological Outcome in Patients with Thymomatous Myasthenia Gravis

Background  Thymic epithelial tumors are characterized by slow growth and variable malignant behavior. We present our experience on the surgical management of these tumors. Materials and Methods  We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with thymomas undergoing modified maximal thymectomy over a period of 16 years. Evaluated parameters included gender, age, Masaoka stage, WHO histology, R0 resection, myasthenia gravis, and adjuvant radiotherapy. In thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis, further analysis was made according the Osserman stage, the time from myasthenia diagnosis to thymectomy, and the steroid treatment. End points were survival for the total study group and achievement of complete stable remission (CSR) in patients with myasthenia gravis. Results  The study group consisted of 15 male and 24 female patients. There was no perioperative mortality. Overall survival was 91.6% and 75.1% at 5 and 10 years. Univariate analysis identified the following predictors of survival: myasthenia (P < 0.001), Masaoka stage (P < 0.001), R0 resection (P < 0.001), and WHO histology (P = 0.007). Only the WHO histology was an independent predictor of survival in multivariate analysis (P = 0.003). Myasthenia patients had CSR prediction of 51.9% and 75.9% at 10 and 15 years. Preoperative steroid treatment (P = 0.007) and WHO histology (P = 0.021) were independent predictors of CSR on multivariate analysis. Conclusions  Modified maximal thymectomy is safe and efficient in the treatment of thymomas. WHO histology is the prime determinant of tumor aggressiveness and patient survival. Paraneoplastic myasthenia gravis and its outcome after thymectomy is significantly correlated with the WHO classification subtypes; however, lower CSR rates are not necessarily associated with more aggressive histological subgroups.     

Transsternal radical thymectomy for myasthenia gravis: a 15-year review

Thymectomy is an accepted therapeutic modality for patients with myasthenia gravis. The selection of patients for operation and the surgical approach are controversial. We reviewed 52 patients (aged 18 months to 82 years; mean age, 34 years) treated with transsternal radical thymectomy between 1972 and 1987. Patients were symptomatically staged according to the modified Osserman classification. There was one hospital death and postoperative follow-up was obtained on 51 patients. Improvement after thymectomy was observed in 3 of 11 patients (27%) in Osserman stage I, 16 of 25 patients (64%) in Osserman stage IIA, and 13 of 15 patients (86%) in combined Osserman stages IIB, III, and IV. Preoperative Osserman stage, patient sex, and thymic histology correlated with postoperative clinical response. Transsternal radical thymectomy is effective therapy for myasthenia gravis. Sustained improvement is obtained in patients with moderate and advanced disease. The majority of patients with ocular disease do not benefit from operation.     

Thymectomy in the treatment of ocular myasthenia gravis

BACKGROUND: Thymectomy is an effective and accepted treatment for myasthenia gravis, but thymectomy for ocular myasthenia gravis (Osserman stage I) is controversial. OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and propriety of thymectomy for the treatment of ocular myasthenia gravis. METHODS: We conducted a review and follow-up of all patients who had thymectomy for the treatment of ocular myasthenia gravis between 1970 and 1998 at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center, and the University of Rome, "La Sapienza," Rome, Italy. Patient response to thymectomy was categorized as follows: cured, patients who became symptom-free and required no further medication; improved, patients who required less medication and whose symptoms were less severe; unchanged, patients whose symptoms and medications were the same; worse, patients who had more severe symptoms, needed more medication, or died. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients (mean age 37 years; range 14-73 years) were followed up for a mean duration of 9 years (range 0.5-29 years). Ocular myasthenia gravis with mixed and cortical thymomas, stages I to IV, occurred in 12 patients, and ocular myasthenia without thymomas occurred in 49 patients. Transsternal thymectomy (n = 55) and transcervical thymectomy (n = 6) resulted in cure in 31 (51%) patients, improvement in 12 (20%) patients, no change in 16 (26%) patients, and worsening of symptoms (including 1 postoperative death) in 2 patients. Patient outcomes were statistically independent of the duration of preoperative symptoms (mean 9.5 months), patient age, or the presence or absence of thymoma. In patients with ocular myasthenia, 70% were cured or improved after thymectomy; in the subgroup of patients with ocular myasthenia and thymoma, 67% were cured or improved. CONCLUSION: Thymectomy is an effective and safe treatment for patients with ocular myasthenia gravis.     

Beneficial effects of plasmapheresis before thymectomy on the outcome in myasthenia gravis

Objective: Since 1980, we have performed plasmapheresis before thymectomy for patients with generalized symptoms in order to protect against myasthenic crisis and to improve patient outcomes after thymectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate an immediate and a long-term results of plasmapheresis before thymectomy for myasthenia gravis, retrospectively. Methods: Between January 1980 and December 1997, 51 patients with Osserman class IIA or IIB symptoms were treated with transsternal thymectomy. Nineteen patients (group 1) were treated with plasmapheresis before thymectomy and 32 patients (group 2) were treated with thymectomy alone. Results: In group 1, the time of plasmapheresis prior to thymectomy was 3.2±1.5. Nine (28.1%) patients in group 2 had crisis within 1 year after thymectomy as compared with only one (5.3%) patient in group 1 had crisis (p=0.049). There was no evidence of crisis within 30 days after thymectomy in group 1 and 5 (15.6%) patients in group 2 (p=0.0724). there was no postoperative death among patients in group 1. Responses to thymectomy in group 1 improved significantly, the improvement and pharmacologic remission rate had increased up to 100% and 79% at 5–7 years after operation, while the improvement and pharmacologic remission rate of group 2 had increased to 81.3% (p=0.0466 vs. group 1) and 50.0% at that time (p=0.0427 vs. group 1). Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that preoperative plasmapheresis may facilitate improved outcomes of patients with myasthenia gravis after thymectomy.     

Surgical treatment for myasthenia gravis.

A new surgical technique for thymectomy is presented. Three hundred and seventeen patients with myasthenia gravis and 20 with thymomas who had myasthenic symptoms were operated on. The new surgical approach--a small transverse sternotomy--was used in 257 cases (in 240 patients with myasthenia gravis and 17 with thymomas) and conventional median sternotomy in 80. In myasthenic patients small transverse sternotomy enabled radical thymectomy to be performed with an uneventful postoperative course and very good cosmetic results. There were no hospital deaths among patients with myasthenia gravis after thymectomy. The long term results, assessed after 18-24 months, were good: the total remission rate was 39.5%, and there was a great improvement in 48.5% and an improvement in 9%. After thymectomy about 30% of patients received supplementary treatment with prednisone. A correlation between the duration of symptoms and the result of thymectomy was established: the shorter the duration of myasthenia gravis the better the results. In the small group of 20 patients with thymomas two died in hospital. In 12 patients with encapsulated thymic tumours the long term results were similar to those in patients with myasthenia gravis, whereas in patients with infiltrating thymic tumours the results were unsatisfactory.     

Extended thymectomy in myasthenia gravis: a team-work of neurologist, thoracic surgeon and anaesthesist may improve the outcome.

OBJECTIVE: We reviewed our overall experience on 163 patients, affected by myasthenia gravis, who underwent thymectomy between 1976 and 1998. A comparison between the oldest series of 72 patients (January 1976-December 1992), referred by various neurologists and operated on through different approaches, and the last 91 patients (January 1993-December 1998), taking part in a strict diagnostic-therapeutical programme, was made. METHODS: Anagraphic data, duration of symptoms, the surgical approach, necessity of respiratory assistance, the hospital stay, histopathological findings, preoperative and postoperative Osserman classification, as well as medications, were globally analyzed and then compared in the two groups. RESULTS: Significant differences in the length of hospitalization (8.7 days vs. 4.2 days; P=0.00001) and in the prolonged intubation rate (18 vs. 0; P<0.000001) were observed in the most recent series. Patients in the pre-operative Osserman stage I and operated on in the second period had a higher complete remission rate at the univariate analysis (P<0.001 and P<0.0001, respectively). At the multivariate analysis the only parameter which affected the outcome was to be operated on in the second period (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our experience confirms the role of the extended thymectomy in the treatment of myasthenia gravis. Whenever an extended thymectomy was performed through a complete sternotomy it was a quick procedure, with short hospitalization and acceptable cosmetic results. A careful pharmacological control of the myasthenic symptoms and the presence of team-work among neurologist, thoracic surgeon and anaesthesist in the peri-operative setting reduce the incidence of complications and might increase the efficacy of the thymectomy.     

Hybrid combination of small subxiphoid incision and thoracoscopic thymectomy for juvenile myasthenia gravis

Background/Purpose

Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease that usually responds positively to treatment with thymectomy. Various approaches via video-assisted thoracic thymectomy as a substitute for conventional sternotomy have been reported. We reported a less invasive technique for thymectomy in pediatric groups.

Methods

Four adolescents with juvenile myasthenia gravis all underwent hybrid combination of small subxiphoid incision and thoracoscopic thymectomy at our institute. Clinical characteristics and surgical outcome were consecutively collected.

Results

In these 4 patients, 2 presented with Osserman class III and 2 with class IIb. The mean operative time was 180 minutes. There was no conversion to sternotomy, and there was only minimal blood loss. Follow-up duration was 3 to 64 months. Postoperatively, 1 patient had complete remission and 3 patients had improvement in clinical symptoms.

Conclusion

Hybrid combination of small subxiphoid incision and thoracoscopic thymectomy may be an effective alternative with low surgical invasiveness for treating juvenile myasthenia gravis.     

Beneficial effects of plasmapheresis before thymectomy on the outcome in myasthenia gravis

OBJECTIVE: Since 1980, we have performed plasmapheresis before thymectomy for patients with generalized symptoms in order to protect against myasthenic crisis and to improve patient outcomes after thymectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate an immediate and a long-term results of plasmapheresis before thymectomy for myasthenia gravis, retrospectively. METHODS: Between January 1980 and December 1997, 51 patients with Osserman class IIA or IIB symptoms were treated with transsternal thymectomy. Nineteen patients (group 1) were treated with plasmapheresis before thymectomy and 32 patients (group 2) were treated with thymectomy alone. RESULTS: In group 1, the time of plasmapheresis prior to thymectomy was 3.2 +/- 1.5. Nine (28.1%) patients in group 2 had crisis within 1 year after thymectomy as compared with only one (5.3%) patient in group 1 had crisis (p = 0.049). There was no evidence of crisis within 30 days after thymectomy in group 1 and 5 (15.6%) patients in group 2 (p = 0.0724). There was no postoperative death among patients in group 1. Responses to thymectomy in group 1 improved significantly, the improvement and pharmacologic remission rate had increased up to 100% and 79% at 5-7 years after operation, while the improvement and pharmacologic remission rate of group 2 had increased to 81.3% (p = 0.0466 vs. group 1) and 50.0% at that time (p = 0.0427 vs. group 1). CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that preoperative plasmapheresis may facilitate improved outcomes of patients with myasthenia gravis after thymectomy.     

Experience with programmed steroid treatment with thymectomy in nonthymomatous myasthenia gravis

BACKGROUND: The benefit of thymectomy in myasthenia gravis management is recognized but the perioperative course can fluctuate. The goal of this study was to assess the feasibility and clinical benefit of dose-escalated steroid therapy with thymectomy for nonthymomatous myasthenia gravis. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 69 myasthenia gravis patients who were followed up after undergoing transsternal thymectomy with extended anterior mediastinal dissection in our hospital between 1976-2000. Forty-eight patients in the programmed treatment group who had dose-escalated and de-escalated steroid therapy during the perioperative period comprised 17 patients with ocular myasthenia gravis and 31 patients with generalized myasthenia gravis. Clinical benefits and clinical remission, which was diagnosed when the patients were symptom-free without medications for at least 1 year, were compared with those of 21 patients in the occasional treatment group who received medications occasionally over the perioperative period. RESULTS: Postoperative respiratory failure and myasthenic crisis did not occur in the programmed treatment group but did occur in 6 patients in the occasional treatment group. Remission rates in the programmed treatment group (mean follow-up, 6.4 years) were 30% at 3 years, 38% at 5 years, and 46% at 10 years; rates in the occasional treatment group (mean follow-up, 9.6 years) were 25% at 3 years, 25% at 5 years, and 45% at 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: Programmed steroid therapy in patients with nonthymomatous myasthenia gravis is feasible and it provides clinical benefit when fluctuating symptoms occur during the perioperative period.     

A comparison of outcomes after robotic open extended thymectomy for myasthenia gravis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of the surgical approach on surgical and neurologic outcomes after extended thymectomy for myasthenia gravis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the institutional extended thymectomies for myasthenia gravis within the last decade was performed. Patients of group A (open access by total median sternotomy; n=10; 1996-2002) and of group B (video assisted thoracoscopic surgery approach with the da Vinci robotic system; n=9; 2003-2006) did not differ with regard to gender distribution, age, body mass index, American Association of Anaesthetists score and Osserman classification of myasthenia gravis. Primary endpoints were surgical complications and the symptomatic/neurologic outcome of the extended thymectomy. Secondary endpoints were operating times and hospital stay. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 74+/-23 months in group A and 13+/-10 months in group B. Surgical complications occurred in 4 patients in group A (requiring 2 re-interventions) and in 1 patient in group B (p<0.05). The median dose of Pyridostigminbromid was reduced 3 and 6 months postoperatively in group A to 80% and 60% of the preoperative level and in group B to 66% and 60% of the preoperative level, respectively. Within the first postoperative year all patients of group B had an improvement of their disease whereas 2 patients of group A did not benefit from thymectomy or had a worsening of symptoms. Operating times were significantly shorter in group A (110 (42-152) min vs 154 (94-312) min, p<0.05), hospital stay was significantly shorter in group B (5 (4-15) vs 10 (10-23) days, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this small series favour the robotic approach for extended thymectomy for myasthenia gravis in respect of both surgical and early neurologic outcome. However, prospective randomized trials are required to prove a general validity.     

扩大胸腺切除治疗重症肌无力的结果分析

目的：总结1990年2月至1999年10月手术治疗重症肌无力的随访结果，并分析其预后因素。方法：54例病人均行扩大胸腺切除术，按改良Osserman标准分为I型15例，Ⅱa型14例，Ⅱb型16例，Ⅲ型9例，随访结果按完全缓解，改善，无效，差进行评价。结果：手术后完全缓解29．6％，改善48．1％，无效13．0％，差9．3％，手术疗效与术前病程长短及Osserman分型有关，与性别，年龄，胸腺病理类型无关，结论：扩大胸腺切除术是治疗重症肌无力的有效方法，对重症肌无力病人应及早手术治疗。     

Video-assisted thymectomy for myasthenia gravis: an update of a single institution experience

Objective: Video-assisted thymectomy was introduced in 1992 as a minimally invasive alternative for the treatment of myasthenia gravis. As experience with this technique is limited and follow-up short, we present this expanded and updated experience for purposes of validation of the technique. Methods: Thirty-eight video-assisted thymectomies for myasthenia gravis were performed in our institution between March 1992 and March 2002. Two patients were lost to follow-up. We analyzed clinical results of 36 patients (14 males and 22 females) with a mean age of 41.2 years. Preoperative clinical staging was assessed by the newly recommended Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Clinical Classification. Clinical status at follow-up was assessed by the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Postintervention Status classification. Results: There was no perioperative mortality or long-term morbidity. One of 38 (2.6%) patients required conversion to limited thoracotomy for bleeding. The mean length of hospital stay was 1.64 days (range 0–8 days) with a median stay of 1 day. The mean length of follow-up is 53.24 months (range 4–126 months). Overall clinical improvement at follow-up was observed in 30 of 36 (83.0%) patients, with five of 36 (14.0%) patients in complete stable remission. Conclusions: Video-assisted thymectomy for myasthenia gravis provides acceptable clinical long-term results by a minimally invasive approach comparable to standard surgical approaches to the disease. The presented data is reported in accordance with the new guidelines by Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Task Force for valid comparison with future studies.     

Long-Term Clinical Outcome After Transcervical Thymectomy for Myasthenia Gravis

Background. We reviewed the long-term clinical outcome after transcervical thymectomy for generalized myasthenia gravis without thymoma in 52 patients who had this procedure at The Toronto Hospital between 1977 and 1986, and compared the results with those reported after more radical surgical approaches.

Methods. Preoperative and postoperative patient evaluations were based on a modified Osserman classification. We defined complete remission as asymptomatic with normal strength and without medications for myasthenia gravis. The complete remission rate was selected as the best measure for comparison between different surgical approaches.

Results. The 52 patients were followed up for a mean of 8.4 years (±6.1 years [standard deviation]). The preoperative mean Osserman grade was 2.7 compared with 0.4 at final follow-up. Complete remission occurred in 44.2% of patients. Similar results are reported after transsternal thymectomy.

Conclusions. Comparable results after transcervical and transsternal thymectomy favor the use of the less radical approach.     

电视胸腔镜胸腺扩大切除治疗重症肌无力107例临床分析

目的探讨电视胸腔镜下胸腺扩大切除术治疗重症肌无力的临床效果。方法对1995年6月至2004年6月,台湾长庚纪念医院胸外科和北京大学人民医院胸外科根据临床表现及肌电图检查诊断证实为单纯重症肌无力,行电视胸腔镜胸腺完整切除及前纵隔脂肪组织廓清术治疗的107例患者的临床资料进行回顾分析。结果术后随访1—98个月,完全缓解34例,改善55例,全组完全缓解及改善率为83％,无手术死亡病例。结论电视胸腔镜下手术切除胸腺及前纵隔脂肪组织治疗重症肌无力临床效果良好,安全,创伤较小。     

Robot-assisted thymectomy is superior to transsternal thymectomy

Background  

Complete thymectomy is the procedure of choice in the treatment of thymomas and in treating selected patients with myasthenia gravis. Transsternal thymectomy is the gold standard for most patients. Robot-assisted thymectomy has emerged as an alternative to open transsternal surgery. The goal of this study was to compare perioperative outcomes in patients who underwent transsternal or robot-assisted thymectomy.     

Clinical and pathologic predictors of outcome in thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis

BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis is by far the most common paraneoplastic syndrome of thymomas. There is little information regarding the influence of clinical variables and thymoma-associated factors on biologic development of myasthenia gravis. The aim of the study was to determine independent predictors of clinical outcome in thymoma with myasthenia gravis. METHODS: We studied 108 patients with thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis undergoing removal of the mediastinal mass between 1967 and 2000. Clinical and pathologic variables associated with clinical outcome of myasthenia were assessed by multivariate Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Patients were followed for a mean period of 10 years (9 months to 33 years). A total of 38 patients died (35.2%), in 14 cases (37%) because of myasthenia gravis and in 6 (16%) because of recurrence of thymoma. With respect to clinical outcome of myasthenia gravis, at the end of the follow-up period, the rate of remission was 16% (n = 17). Of the 91 patients in whom remission was not achieved, 55 had no symptoms with immunosuppressive medication and 36 had symptoms with medication. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis, well-differentiated thymic carcinoma (Müller-Hermelink system), age more than 55 years, and interval from the onset of symptoms to thymectomy of less than 1 year were found to be independent predictors of nonremission of myasthenia gravis after thymectomy.     

电视胸腔镜手术治疗非胸腺瘤重症肌无力的中期疗效和生活质量

目的评估电视胸腔镜手术(video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery,VATS)治疗非胸腺瘤重症肌无力(nonthymomatous myasthenia gravis,NTMG)的中期疗效和生活质量,以合理选择手术方式。方法 2003年5月~2006年6月施行VATS胸腺扩大切除术治疗26例NTMG,术后3年随访采用术后MG相关症状变化DeFilippi分级和美国重症肌无力基金会MG评分(MGFA评分)评估术后疗效;采用欧洲癌症研究和治疗组织(European Organization for Research and Treatment ofCancer,EORTC)生活质量问卷(quality-of-life questionnaire,QLQ)评分评估术后生活质量。结果 26例手术顺利,无肌无力危象发生。术后1例并发肺炎,无围手术期死亡。术后3年随访时MG相关症状变化DeFilippi分级,1~3级26例,4~5级0例,总有效率为100%;MGFA评分(8.1±1.6)分优于术前(14.2±2.9)分(t=-9.391,P=0.000);EORTC-QLQ6项(包括躯体、角色、认知、情绪、社会、总生活质量)评分术后均高于术前,除社会功能评分外,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论 VATS胸腺扩大切除治疗NTMG,MG症状改善率高,生活质量好,术后并发症少,是治疗NTMG的一种有效方法,具有良好临床应用前景。     

Thoracoscopic thymectomy in children with myasthenia gravis

Although conservative medical management is the mainstay in the treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG), severest forms of the disease often require surgical thymectomy. Thoracoscopic thymectomy (TT) represents a minimally invasive alternative to traditional thymectomy via sternotomy. We present our preliminary experience with TT as definitive treatment for severe forms of MG. The charts of 5 children (4 girls and 1 boy; age range, 11-17 years) who underwent TT for MG were retrospectively reviewed. TT was typically performed via left thoracoscopy using 4- or 5-mm ports with 1 of the ports enlarged at the end of the procedure for specimen retrieval. Thymic veins were identified and ligated with surgical clips in all cases. Surgical parameters assessed were the following: operating time, intra- and postoperative complications, length of postoperative stay, and resolution of symptoms. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 2 years. All 5 TTs were successfully completed. In 1 case, right-sided thoracoscopy was added to ensure complete gland excision. Surgical pathology in all cases demonstrated complete excision. Mean operating time was 121 minutes (range 88 minutes to 188 minutes). There were no intra- or postoperative complications. Length of postoperative stay averaged 1.6 days (range, 1 to 3 days). Four of 5 (80%) had clear resolution of symptoms with 1 showing minimal resolution at 6 months. Thoracoscopic thymectomy is a safe and potentially attractive alternative to traditional thymectomy via median sternotomy in severe forms of myasthenia gravis. Complete thymectomy, the goal of traditional surgical treatment for myasthenia gravis, can effectively by achieved via this minimally invasive technique.     

Analysis of thymectomy for myasthenia gravis in older patients: a 20-year single institution experience

BACKGROUND: Thymectomy has become recognized as an integral element in the care of the patient with myasthenia gravis. Although the number of elderly patients with myasthenia is substantial, little data exist demonstrating the efficacy and morbidity of thymectomy in this population. STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively analyzed 126 cervicomediastinal thymectomies performed at a single university hospital from 1980 to 1998. Patients 55 years or older were compared with those less than 55. Efficacy was measured by determining the change in Osserman score, the rate of remission during followup, and the reduction in medication requirements after thymectomy. RESULTS: Older patients (n = 28) had similar Osserman scores (p = 0.8) and similar rates of complete and partial remission as the younger group (n = 98) at a mean +/- SEM followup of 58 +/- 5 months. The two groups did not differ in the number (p = 0.4) and doses of medications used to control myasthenic symptoms after operation. Older age was associated with an increased length of hospitalization (13.8 +/- 3.2 days versus 9.7 +/- 0.6 days, p = 0.05) and a higher incidence of reintubation, and longer ventilatory support (2.6 +/- 1.3 days versus 0.1 +/- 0.1 days, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Increased age does not alter the outcomes of thymectomy for myasthenia gravis. Older patients can expect to have similar responses and require a similar number of postoperative medications as younger patients, but with a higher short-term morbidity.