Miaomiao Cao,1 Tingting Wang,2 Yangchen Tang,3 Juan Wang,3 Song Jin3 1Department of Cardiac Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Geriatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Song Jin, Department of Geriatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, No. 1, Tianehu Road, Zhengwu District, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-15395014716, Email jinsong23@126.comIntroduction: This study evaluated a novel multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach—integrating nurse guidance, family involvement, and individualized perioperative care—on outcomes in older cardiac surgery patients.Methods: A retrospective analysis included 198 patients aged ≥ 60 years (99 conventional care, 99 MDT) from November 2021 to January 2024. Outcomes included pneumonia, delirium, functional recovery (Barthel Index), and hospitalization metrics.Results: : Baseline characteristics were comparable. The MDT group had significantly shorter ICU stay (2.5± 1.9 vs 3.7± 4.8 days, p=0.019) and lower pneumonia incidence (29.3% vs 60.6%, p< 0.001). Total hospital stay and delirium rates did not differ significantly, but the MDT group showed a trend toward greater functional improvement (Barthel change: 20.6± 13.9 vs 15.6± 22.6).Conclusion: The MDT model significantly improved critical postoperative outcomes, notably reducing ICU stay and pneumonia. These results advocate for nurse-led, family-centered multidisciplinary care in geriatric surgery, warranting further prospective validation.Keywords: nursing, older adults, multidisciplinary team, perioperative, cardiac surgery
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