Frailty

Frailty in ageing surgical populations worldwide is one of the greatest global health challenges. Currently, 30% of Australian surgical patients are already aged>65 years, with 40,000–50,000 patients with frailty admitted to an Australian intensive care unit (ICU) annually. By 2030, 25% of Australian ICU bed-days will be occupied by patients aged>80 years. Major organisations such as the American Geriatrics Society and the American College of Surgeons strongly recommend perioperative frailty measurement, with clear evidence that this leads to reduced mortality. However, widespread routine systems to measure frailty in surgical patients are lacking. This is despite clear evidence of significantly increased postoperative mortality, new disability, and residential care placement after surgery with frailty.