‘I almost died:’ Troubling number of Canadian seniors struggle to recover from surgery, study suggests – CTV
November 27, 2025
A new Canada-wide medical study has revealed that a troubling number of senior citizens are struggling to recover following surgery.
More than 2,000 Canadian seniors, aged 65 and older, were enrolled in the national study by a team of doctors from across the country.
Their investigation found that within the first six months following a major, noncardiac surgery, one in six are suffering from a new disability, while others may have died.
Many are suffering and unable “to think clearly, to take care of oneself, to be able to move around, to be able to engage with family, in social activities those were things they were not able to do,” shared Dr. Duminda Wijeysundera, physician-scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital, part of Unity Health Toronto, and one of the study’s lead researchers.
The road to recovery following a major abdominal surgery for 76-year-old Sandra Espinosa has been fraught with challenges.
