CHICAGO—Research has shown that frailty can have a negative effect on patient outcomes, but it should not be used to refuse hernia repair to a patient who might otherwise benefit from the surgery. As Sharon L. Bachman, MD, MPH, discussed, age and frailty do not always correlate, thus necessitating a more comprehensive assessment of the case.
“What does ‘geriatric’ mean?” said Dr. Bachman, a general surgeon with Inova Health System, in Fairfax,