Perioperative frailty: lessons learned and future directions

This article reviews current conceptual frameworks of frailty, references current literature and provides a practical approach to the preoperative frailty assessment with a focus on potential interventions. Recent findings A multipronged approach toward preoperative optimization should be used in patients with frailty syndrome. Oral protein supplementation and immunonutrition therapy can reduce complications in patients with malnutrition. Initiating a preoperative physical exercise regimen may mitigate frailty. Nonpharmacologic interventions to reduce preoperative anxiety and improve mood are effective, low-cost adjuncts associated with improvement in postoperative outcomes. Engaging in shared decision making is a critical component of the preoperative evaluation of frail patients. Summary Emerging evidence suggests that frailty may be mitigated with patient-specific, multidimensional preoperative interventions, thus potentially improving postoperative outcomes in this vulnerable patient population.
Source: Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology - Category: Anesthesiology Tags: ANESTHESIA AND MEDICAL DISEASE: Edited by Adriana D. Oprea Source Type: research