title: Can laparoscopic cholecystectomy be safety performed in the elderly?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the suitability of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients, although early reports have questioned the efficacy of this procedure in that patient group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study evaluating the medical records of the elderly patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in our surgical unit. Data included age and gender, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, comorbid illness, prior abdominal surgery, presentation, operative time, conversion rate, postoperative morbidity, and mortality rates and length of hospital stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty consecutive patients age 70 or older who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy were studied Postoperative complications occurred in five patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many Studies have shown that the incidence of complicated gallstone disease in the elderly is higher when compared with that of younger patients and gallbladder disease is particularly virulent in the elderly, with high rate of acute cholecystitis, biliary tract disease, increased morbidity, and prolonged hospital stay. This poor outcome has been attributed to the presence of severe co-morbid factors associated with the aging process. Compared to open cholecystectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy may cause less postoperative depression of respiratory function and cell-mediated immunity. In our study perioperative mortality rate was 0%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients is a relatively safe procedure that can be accomplished with acceptable low morbidity. In this series of geriatric patients, there was no evidence of any increased risk for conversion to an open cholecystectomy, delayed recovery, or prolonged hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Organ Transplantation and Advanced Technologies, Surgery Oncology Unit, University of Catania, Italy. cagliapi@unict.it
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Caglià
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tracia
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Veroux
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luca
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zappulla
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Bibiana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lucifora
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borzì
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Patanè
authors.forename: Santi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trovato
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amodeo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome