title: Single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients of advanced age: why not?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the perioperative outcome of elderly patients undergoing either single-port cholecystectomy (SPC) or standard multiport laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SMLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients older than 50 years who underwent SPC using the reusable X-Cone were compared with age-matched, sex-matched, and body mass index-matched patients after SMLC, and postoperative outcome was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 97 patients who underwent SPC during July 2009 and August 2011, 33 patients (34%) were older than 50 years. Baseline characteristics were comparable for either group, as was the operative time (min) (SPC: 82.7 ± 25.1 vs. SMLC: 83.9 ± 22.1; P=0.85), postoperative hospital stay (d) (SPC: 3.7 ± 1.6 vs. SMLC: 3.9 ± 1.5; P=0.61), and postoperative complication rate [SPC: 4 of 33 patients (12.1%) vs. SMLC: 3 of 33 patients (9.1%); P=1.0].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that older age might not be predictive of an inferior outcome after SPC, compared with patients who were treated with the "golden standard."
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral, Vascular and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany. reibetanz_j@chirurgie.uni-wuerzburg.de
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reibetanz
authors.forename: Mia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Christoph-Thomas
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Germer
authors.forename: Katica
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krajinovic
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000379:methods*; D061887:Conversion to Open Surgery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome