Older Adults Surgery
Older Adults Surgery - Related Videos
12:45
Stereotaxic Surgery for Excitotoxic Lesion of Specific Brain Areas in the Adult Rat
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Cited by 22 •
2012
Targeted ablation of specific brain region(s) by infusion of an excitotoxin using stereotaxic coordinates is described. This technique could also be adapted for infusion of other chemicals into the rat brain.
12:13
Considerations for Rodent Surgery
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2016
Source: Kay Stewart, RVT, RLATG, CMAR; Valerie A. Schroeder, RVT, RLATG. University of Notre Dame, IN The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals1 dictates that rodent survival surgery be performed aseptically. Aseptic technique utilizes specific practices that minimize the contamination of the surgical site, including patient preparation, surgeon preparation, sterilization of instruments and other supplies, and the use of a clean and controlled environment. Presurgical planning,...
08:28
Rodent Stereotaxic Surgery
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2023
Stereotaxic (or stereotactic) surgery is a method used to manipulate the brain of living animals. This technique allows researchers to accurately target deep structures within the brain through the use of a stereotaxic atlas, which provides the 3D coordinates of each area with respect to anatomical landmarks on the skull. After the skull is exposed, anesthetized animals are mounted on a specialized instrument known as a stereotaxic frame, which enables the precise placement of experimental...
00:08
Survivable Stereotaxic Surgery in Rodents
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Cited by 50 •
2008
The monitoring of extracellular neurotransmitter levels in distinct brain regions of freely moving animals offers insights on the link between neurotransmitter release and behavior. In vivo microdialysis coupled with electrochemical detection provides excellent anatomical and chemical resolution; and information on how basal neurotransmission is altered by pharmacological or physiological manipulations.
10:29
Principles of Rodent Surgery for the New Surgeon
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Cited by 55 •
2011
Before attempting surgery, a new surgeon should have training in basic surgical techniques and concepts. This article will present basic surgical considerations with an emphasis on rodents.
FAQs
Physiologic reserve describes how well the body can tolerate stress and recover after an operation. In aging patients, reduced reserve may interact with existing comorbidities and limited function, changing the balance between potential benefit and perioperative risk. Assessing these factors helps clinicians individualize the operative plan rather than relying on age alone to guide decisions.
Functional status provides information about a patient’s baseline independence and ability to withstand the demands of treatment. It also establishes a reference point for judging recovery after surgery. Incorporating function into risk stratification can clarify likely outcomes, support realistic goals, and focus postoperative care on preserving or restoring independence.
Changes in organ function, healing, mobility, and cognition can each affect the perioperative course. Together, they may increase vulnerability to complications or delay a return to usual activities. Recognizing these domains during assessment and monitoring allows the care team to address risks early and tailor recovery planning to the patient’s needs.
Medication review and anesthesia planning are distinct parts of perioperative preparation that help clinicians account for an older patient’s medical context and physiologic reserve. Considering them alongside comorbidities and functional status supports a more individualized operative strategy. This coordinated planning can improve risk assessment and guide monitoring before, during, and after the procedure.
Preoperative assessment should establish the patient’s comorbidities, physiologic reserve, functional status, current medications, and factors relevant to anesthesia. These findings support risk stratification and help the team determine whether an operation and its planned approach fit the patient’s goals and expected tolerance. The assessment also creates a basis for postoperative monitoring and rehabilitation planning.
Postoperative care combines monitoring with attention to mobility, cognition, healing, organ function, and overall complications. The team compares progress with the patient’s baseline function and adjusts care when recovery is slower or risks emerge. Rehabilitation strategies can then focus on regaining independence, making recovery an outcome rather than treating the operation alone as the endpoint.
Shared decision-making is especially important when physiologic reserve, comorbidities, or functional limitations make the benefits and burdens of surgery less predictable. Discussing individualized risks, expected recovery, and goals of care helps align the operative plan with the patient’s priorities. This approach applies across elective and emergency settings, although the available time for discussion may differ.
Research in this field informs geriatric surgery protocols, rehabilitation strategies, shared decision-making, and multidisciplinary care models. These approaches bring assessment, operative planning, monitoring, and recovery into a coordinated pathway rather than treating them as isolated steps. Their relevance extends across elective and emergency surgery, where teams seek to reduce complications and preserve independence.