Special anesthesia considerations for the elderly plastic surgery patient.

Elderly patients may be at greater risk for perioperative complications and mortality due to an increased prevalence of age-related concomitant diseases, often more than one at a time, and a basic decline in organ functioning over time. Risks associated with age in the plastic surgery population may be minimized by a better understanding of the physiologic changes as well as the preoperative and postoperative considerations in caring for this special group of patients. The purpose of this article is to review the changes that occur with aging and the nursing care implications necessary to minimize the associated risks with anesthesia and plastic surgery.