Frailty is a syndrome characterized by functional decline and increased risk of disease due to decreased multiple organ function and physiological reserve in elderly people, and has been shown to be associated with postoperative adverse event rates. This article aims to summarize the evaluation methods of frailty, the influence of preoperative frailty on postoperative complications in elderly people, in order to explore the clinical significance of frailty and postoperative complications, and provide new ideas for reducing the incidence of postoperative complications in frail patients.