Parathyroidectomy is Safe in Elderly Patients: A National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Study

Background With increasing age, the incidence of hyperparathyroidism is increased. This study evaluates parathyroidectomy outcomes in elderly patients. Methods Primary hyperparathyroidism patients having parathyroidectomy as listed in the 2005–2017 ACS-NSQIP database were separated by age: ≤60, 61–79 and ≥80. Outcomes included complications, 30-day mortality, return to the OR, operating times, and hospital length of stay (LOS). Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare patients 61–79 and ≥80 to those ≤60. Patients ≤60 and ≥80 were propensity score matched using gender, race, BMI, smoking status, steroid use, modified frailty index (mFI), ASA class, procedure, setting, anesthesia, and wound class. Morbidity and mortality were compared to ACS-NSQIP database patients having elective inguinal hernia repair. Results Of 47,701 patients: 22,220 were ≤60, 22,683 were 61–79, and 2798 were ≥80. Patients ≥80 had more complications (2.3% vs. 1.5% for 61–79 and 1.0% for ≤60, p 1 day (10.3% vs. 5.8% and 6.7%, p