Pre Operative Frailty Indices as Predictor of Postoperative Outcomes in Elderly Patients

Background: The growing elderly population has led to an increasing number of surgical procedures in older patients, who are at a higher risk of adverse postoperative outcomes. Chronological age alone is an unreliable predictor of surgical risk, necessitating the use of comprehensive preoperative assessment tools. Frailty, a multidimensional syndrome characterized by reduced physiological reserve, has emerged as an important predictor of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the role of preoperative frailty indices as predictors of postoperative outcomes in elderly patients undergoing surgery. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based prospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Anesthesiology at a tertiary care hospital. A total of 95 elderly patients aged ≥60 years undergoing elective surgery were included. Preoperative frailty assessment was performed using a validated frailty index during pre-anesthetic evaluation. Postoperative outcomes assessed included complications, length of hospital stay, requirement for intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and postoperative mortality. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods, with a p-value