The Australian and New Zealand journal of surgery
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Comparative Study
The cost of elective and emergency repair of AAA in patients under and over the age of 80.
As Australia's population ages, the number of elderly patients presenting for surgery of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), both elective and ruptured, will increase. The aim of the present study was to compare the costs of treatment of patients with AAA, under and over the age of 80, in the elective and emergency settings in a hospital with a divisional structure in which the true costs can be accurately obtained. ⋯ Emergency repair of AAA is significantly more expensive and has a high mortality in the over-80 age group. Also, there is a substantial shortfall between the true costs of treating these patients and the funds allocated for treatment in this group.