Barthel Index Predicts Surgical Outcomes in Elderly Hepatectomy Patients

Barthel Index scores below 85 indicate higher risk for adverse surgical outcomes in elderly hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing hepatectomy. A retrospective cohort study of 497 patients found those with lower scores had significantly lower rates of achieving textbook outcomes (TO) post-surgery compared to higher score patients (29.3% vs. 72.1%). Assessment of functional decline using the Barthel Index can help identify high-risk patients and guide preoperative and postoperative care for better surgical outcomes.