The aim of our study is to analyze the clinical features and outcome of digestive surgery in the aged. From Jan. 1979 to Dec. 1981, 1,389 operations under general anesthesia were performed on patients 75 years old and more. From this group, 163 patients (111 females and 52 males, mean age: 79 +/- 0.7 years) underwent surgery of the alimentary tract. The procedures were divided in: colorectal (48%), biliary (32%), gastric (10%), small bowel (6%), esophagus (1%) and others (3%). An operation for cancer was performed in 63 patients: palliative (69%), curative (31%). The mean length of hospital stay is 23 days (pre-op 7 days, post-op 16 days). Only 16% of the patients needed intensive care. Postoperative complications occurred in 43 patients (26%); cardiovascular (47%), psychiatric (26%), pulmonary (23%) and others (4%). The overall mortality rate is 10%: 6% for elective cases and 24% for urgent cases (49 patients). The mortality is related to: sepsis and peritonitis (53%), cardiopulmonary disease (23%), hemorrhage (12%), cachexia (12%). At discharge, 62% of the patients returned home directly, 18% to convalescent homes, 10% to unknown places and 10% in nursing homes. Our data supports the benefit of surgery in the aged.