title: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we hypothesize that LC is a safe procedure in a non-laparoscopic specialized general surgery unit in a teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated retrospectively the data of 286 patients that had symptomatic cholelithiasis and were operated on with LC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fifty-four (18.9%) male and 232 (81.1%) female patients underwent LC. Morbidity in patients over 75 years was higher than in patients under 75 years. Mean hospitalization time was 1.5 days. LC is as safe in young patients as in patients at age ranging from 65 to 75 at a general surgery setting at a teaching facility. Although postoperative morbidity risk is higher in patients over the age of 75 years and diagnosed with symptomatic cholelithiasis, the main reason for increased morbidity is having an ASA score greater or equal to 3, and it is independent from age. In conclusion, LC can be performed in patients older than 75 years of age after giving them proper treatment for comorbidities (Tab. 1, Ref. 12).
authors.affiliation: Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. oyildirim99@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Yildirim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Osman
authors.forename: Menekse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebru
authors.forename: Turan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Umit
authors.forename: Oter
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Volkan
authors.forename: Karabeyoglu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Melih
authors.forename: Kocer
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Belma
authors.forename: Bozkurt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Betul
authors.forename: Cengiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Omer
authors.forename: Soran
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Atilla
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012307:Risk Factors