For patients undergoing urologic surgery, frailty may increase their risk of experiencing complications after surgery.

Among 95,108 patients undergoing 21 different urologic procedures, such as bladder or , the average frequency of per individual was 11.7%, with the most common complications being hospital readmission (6.2%), blood transfusion (4.6%), and urinary tract infection (3.1%).

Tests of frailty revealed that patients who were frail, a physical vulnerability that can lead to increased susceptibility to disability, were 1.7-times more likely to experience complications after surgery.

"We found that frailty was a significant predictor of postoperative complications independent of age and across most procedures evaluated, making it a very important factor to consider in preoperative decision-making and counseling," said Dr. Anne Suskind, lead author of the BJU International study.

More information: Anne M Suskind et al. The impact of Frailty on complications in patients undergoing common urologic procedures; a study from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Database, BJU International (2015). DOI: 10.1111/bju.13399

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