Citation

Santora TA, Schinco MA, Trooskin SZ. Surg. Clin. North Am. 1994; 74(1): 163-186.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

8108766

Abstract

Injuries among the elderly are a common occurrence and, as the population ages, the elderly will constitute a prominent proportion of trauma patients. The elderly sustain the same injuries that younger people do; however, because of a variety of age-related processes, the elderly suffer more severe consequences from these injuries. Epidemiologic factors and physiologic processes are used to explain the "susceptibility" of the elderly population to traumatic injuries. Recommendations for initial resuscitation and management of specific injuries are presented along with general principles of injury prevention and rehabilitation. The socioeconomic cost of trauma in the elderly is discussed in terms of physical disabilities and financial burdens.

Language: en