Geriatric Surgery and Perioperative Care

Gabriella Bettelli is past-Director of the Geriatric Surgical Area and Anesthesia Unit at the INRCA (Italian National Research Centre on Aging, Ancona Italy), specialist in anesthesia, cardiology, and geriatrics (2nd Level University Master). She founded and currently coordinates an international 2nd Level University Master in Perioperative Geriatric Medicine, held in co-partnership by the San Marino University and the Catholic University of Rome. She edited the book Perioperative Care of the Elderly: clinical and organizational aspects (Cambridge University Press, 2017), co-edited various books on safety in anesthesia, and published more than 120 papers, most of them indexed. She is a member of the ESAIC Task Force for Postoperative Delirium GL, currently under updating, and reviewer for Anesthesia & Analgesia, Journal of Gerontology, Journal of Frailty and Aging and Saudi Journal of Anesthesia. Riccardo A. Audisio, MD, PhD (Hon), FRCS, is past-President of SIOG (International Society of Geriatric Oncology), BASO (British Association of Surgical Oncology) and ESSO (European Society of Surgical Oncology). He served as an advisor to the Department of Health, UK and to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer in Older Women. Professor Audisio sat on the Board of Directors of ECCO (European Cancer Organization). He is past-Chair of the Education & Training Committee of ESSO. Professor Audisio chairs the Surgical Oncology track at the Global Health Catalyst, Harvard Medical School. He has edited 10 books on the management of Elderly Cancer Patients (Springer), co-edited the ESMO Handbook of Cancer in the Senior Patient, and authored over 30 peer reviewed papers on the topic. His clinical research focuses on Breast Cancer, Geriatric Oncology, Education/Certification in Surgical Oncology and the optimization of Surgical Oncology in L/MICs.

Part I. Pre-Operative Management
1. Epidemiological and structural overview of the current situation
2. Aging, pathophysiological changes and their impact on anesthesia and surgery
3. Preoperative evaluation and optimization: a team-based task
4. Decision making about surgery and plan for hospital admission
5. Patient allocation and preparation to surgery

Part II. Peri- and Post-Operative Management
6. Anesthesia techniques, intraoperative management, and early postoperative recovery
7. Team-based approach to surgical stress reduction and procedural safety
8. General principles for optimal postoperative recovery
9. Postoperative ICU care
10. Post-operative course at the ward
11. The clinical path: hospital discharge. Management of hospital discharge and late postoperative recovery

Part III. Surgical Issues
12. Surgery for older patients: An overview
13. The impact of ERAS and fast-track surgery in senior patients
14. Breast surgery in older women
15. Thoracic Surgery in elderly patients
16. Emergency general surgery in older patients
17. Supporting Older Adults Safely through Abdominal Surgery: The Impact of Prehabilitation and Geriatric-Co Management
18. Orthopedic Surgery and Hip Fractures in Elderly Patients
19. Gallbladder surgery at an advanced age
20. Cataract surgery in the elderly
21. Presbystasis and vestibular rehabilitation in elderly patients
22. Head and Neck Surgery for Older Patients
23. Diverticular disease in older patients
24. Patient Frailty and plastic surgery at an advanced age
25. Outpatient surgery: day surgery and office-based surgery for senior patients
26. Unveiling the Dynamics of Functional Recovery and Quality of Life in Geriatric Patients with Cancer

Part IV. Recommendations for a Better Future
27. Models of care: Purposes, internal organization and inspiring principles
28. Towards a “Silver Architecture”: Hospital Design for Geriatric Surgery
29. Towards a “Silver Architecture”: Patient safety and clinical risk management
30. Ethical principles: professional duties and patients’ rights
31. Cornerstones for Optimal Surgical Care of the Older Adult – Current State and Moving the Needle Forward