title: Therapeutic methods of digestive endoscopy in persons of advanced age.
abstract: Towards the end of 1988, 85 out of 170 patients indicated for endoscopic papillotomy (EPT) were over 65 years of age, and, of these, 54% were 75 and more. EPT was successful in 90.6% of those over 65. Total morbidity was 4.7% and mortality 1.2%. Endoscopic colorectal polypectomy (EPE) was performed during the same period in 591 subjects. 143 of them (24.2%) were over 65 and had a total of 284 polyps removed. Almost half those polyps were more than 10 mm in diameter. Adenomas of the right colon were at least 3 times as frequent as in asymptomatic subjects aged 45-60 years revealed by screening for colorectal neoplasms in HaemocultR-positive subjects. Particular attention was devoted to patients with malignant polyps and with very broadly sessile adenomas--both could definitively be treated with the endoscopic method. EPT is often the only possible therapy for elderly and high-risk patients. Every colorectal polyp should be evaluated by endoscopy, and EPE, especially in patients of advanced age, is the method of choice when technically feasible.
authors: Gastroenterological Laboratory, Charles University Medical Faculty, Prague.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Fric
authors: Z
authors: Z
authors: Slezák
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Dosedĕl
authors: Z
authors: Z
authors: Zádorová
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014670:Ampulla of Vater / Q000601:surgery*; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000601:surgery*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications