Medicine: Operating on Oldsters

Because the risks are generally considered too great, most surgeons shy away from operating on old people. So when Manhattan-born, European-trained (University of Budapest) Dr. John Toma was appointed attending surgeon for the 500 residents of two California homes for old folks, he knew that his job would not be an easy one.

Last week, summing up the work of two years, Dr. Toma (rhymes with coma) had remarkable success to report in surgery upon patients from Methodist-sponsored Pacific Home and Claremont Manor, in Los Angeles County. In more than 50 operations on men & women “up to 100 years” he had lost only one patient.

Dr. Toma uses no special technique on the oldsters. Examples of the notable surgery he has performed: a 2½-hour diaphragmatic hernia operation on a 76-year-old patient, a 1½-hour rectal cancer removal on an 82-year-old woman. He has also nailed a hip fracture for a 97-year-old accident victim, done intestinal resections, gall bladder, bowel cancer and ovarian cyst operations.

With this surgery, plus special diet and close observation, Dr. Toma and his colleagues have been able to reduce the death rate in the two homes by 75% in the last two years.

Surgeon Toma has done his operations at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital, some distance from the homes. Next month a new 59-bed, $500,000 hospital at Pacific Home will be dedicated by Governor Earl Warren and U.C.L.A.’s Provost Clarence Dykstra. Built by the contributions of the wealthy residents of Pacific Home and Claremont Manor, Pacific Home Memorial Hospital will be complete with laboratory, X-ray machines and the latest in surgical gadgets.

Heartened by such new facilities for geriatric surgery, Dr. Toma says: “We hear and read so much about the ghastliness of old age, of the crippled and pain-racked bodies. I don’t think much of this is necessary. I think we can do for the old-timers just what we do for younger people. And I think we have the proof of this at our two homes.”