ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the evidence for surgical outcomes and delirium for people who are frail. The presence of a frailty phenotype has potential significance in an elderly surgical population as peri-operative frailty related interventions may improve outcomes. Whatever frailty index urologists choose to implement in clinical settings, it is important for them to be cognisant of the fact that frailty is associated with significantly increased risk of adverse surgical outcomes. Even with successful surgical treatment, long-term functional decline and increased dependency are common. Cognitive impairment is the decline of intellectual function and can be acute onset, chronic or acute on chronic. The identification of 'cognitive frailty' raises the possibility that different groups of patients may have markedly different outcomes. It is important to realise that there can be significant barriers to communication which may include where someone has additional care, support or communication needs.
