Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in aged patients.
OBJECTIVE
The life-span of humans increased and the prevalence of gallstones has also increased with age. The aim of this study is to examine the associations between age and clinical outcomes in the patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).


METHODS
A total of 627 patients receiving LC were categorized into three different age groups. Group I was defined as less than 65 years of age (n = 510), group II as 65 to 79 (n = 100) and group III as more than 80 (n = 17). Clinical characteristics of these patients and surgical outcomes were analyzed.


RESULTS
Rates of conversion and major complications were similar among three age groups. Group III had a significantly longer length of perioperative hospital stay compared to groups I or II. However, rates of minor complication appeared to be higher as age progressed (group I: 0.6%; group II: 6.0%; group III: 17.6%). In multivariable-adjusted modeling, groups II and III respectively, had a 7.1-fold (95% CI: 1.3-38.1, p = 0.023) and 34.1 (95% CI: 3.8-310.8, p = 0.002) higher risk of having minor complications than group I patients.


CONCLUSIONS
LC is a safe and accepted procedure in aged patients with uncomplicated gallbladder stones disease, but it may be associated with increased postoperative morbidity.
Chang
Wen-Tsan
WT
Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Yu
Fang-Jung
FJ
Hsieh
Ming-Yen
MY
Huang
Meng-Chuan
MC
Lee
King-Teh
KT
Chen
Jong-Shyone
JS
Kuo
Kung-Kai
KK
Chuang
Shin-Chang
SC
Wang
Sen-Ren
SR
Ker
Chen-Guo
CG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome