Having operated on some patients who are well over ninety, I can confirm that many older patients can be operated safely. There is however a rider; that patient fitness for surgery must be assessed in detail.
Most elderly patients have other illnesses and poor muscle strength. Both these factors are very important for a smooth surgery and also for the initial days, weeks and months of recovery.
A particular weak, frail elderly person may not be best suited for any cardiac surgery and we will then seek alternate medical/ interventional treatments so as to provide the best chances for survival/ symptom control. Another weak and frail elderly person might not survive even for a few hours without a very high risk operation and we might still undertake that surgery after careful optimisation and detailed team/ family review.