Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients over 70 years of age: review of 176 cases.
BACKGROUND
We assessed the results of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in 176 patients over the age of 70 years.


METHODS
The study included all patients older than 70 years of age who underwent laparoscopic surgery cholelithiasis during the previous ten years. Variables studied included age, sex, type of operation (programmed/emergency), comorbidity, anesthetic risk, intraoperative cholangiography, conversion to open surgery, number of trocars, reoperation, residual choledocholithiasis, postoperative hospital stay, morbidity and mortality.


RESULTS
The study included 176 patients (23.29% men and 76.71% women). The mean age was 74.86 years. The mean hospital stay was 1.27 days, with 16.98% morbidity and 0.56% mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe procedure in older patients. It results in faster recovery, a shorter postoperative stay and lower rates of morbidity and mortality than open bile duct surgery.
Service of Digestive Surgery, Hospital de Antequera, Málaga, Spain. javi-newyork@hotmail.com
F J
FJ
Pérez Lara
R
R
de Luna Díaz
J
J
Moreno Ruiz
R
R
Suescun García
A
A
del Rey Moreno
J
J
Hernández Carmona
H
H
Oliva Muñoz
D000368:Aged; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies