• J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2021

    Older adult perspectives on medical decision making and emergency general surgery: "It had to be done."

    • Claire Sokas, Irene M Yeh, Kathleen Coogan, Rachelle Bernacki, Susan Mitchell, Angela Bader, Keren Ladin, Jennifer A Palmer, James A Tulsky, and Zara Cooper.
    • Brigham and Woman's Hospital, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
    • J Pain Symptom Manage. 2021 May 1; 61 (5): 948-954.

    ContextOptimal surgical care for older adults with life-threatening conditions, with high risk of poor perioperative outcomes and morality in the months after surgery, should incorporate an understanding of the patient's treatment goals and preferences. However, little research has explored the patient perspective of decision making and advanced care planning during an emergency surgery episode.ObjectivesWe sought to better understand older patients' lived experience making decisions to undergo emergency general surgery (EGS) and perceptions of perioperative advance care planning (ACP).MethodsAdults aged 65 and older who underwent one of seven common EGS procedures with lengths of stay more than five days at three Boston-area hospitals were included. Semistructured phone interviews were conducted three months postdischarge. Transcripts were reviewed and coded independently by surgeons and palliative care physicians to identify themes.ResultsAbout 31 patients were interviewed. Patients viewed the decision for surgery as a choice of life over death and valued prolonging life. They felt there was no choice but to proceed with surgery but reported that participation in decision making was limited because of severe symptoms, time constraints, and confused thinking. Despite recently surviving a life-threatening illness, patients had not reconsidered their wishes for the future and preferred to avoid future ACP.ConclusionOlder patients who survived a life-threatening illness and EGS report receiving goal-concordant care in the moment that relieved symptoms and prolonged life but had not considered future care. Interventions to facilitate postoperative ACP should be targeted to this vulnerable group of older adults.Copyright © 2020 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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