title: Total laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for elderly patients with gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study evaluated the feasibility of totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) in elderly patients with gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the data from 138 patients who underwent TLDG from April 2005 to March 2009. Of these 138 patients, 20 were older than 75 years of age, and 118 were 75 years of age or younger.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The preoperative respiratory function and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) -physical status were significantly worse in the elderly patients than in the younger patients (P = 0.013). Hypertension and respiratory disease were more common in the elderly patients than in the younger patients (P = 0.032 / P = 0.005). The findings for the following parameters were similar in the two groups: intraoperative blood loss, operation time, severe postoperative complication rate, time required to start a solid diet, and duration of postoperative hospital stay. The rate of major complications was not different between the two groups, although minor complications were more commonly observed in the elderly patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TLDG was found to be a safe procedure for elderly patients. This method can be used as one of the standard treatments for gastric cancer in elderly patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1,Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. okieiji@surg2.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oki
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Notame 3-1-1, Minami-ku, Fukuoka 811-1395, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Notame 3-1-1, Minami-ku, Fukuoka 811-1395, Japan.
authors.forename: Kippei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohgaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1,Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saeki
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1,Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikegami
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Notame 3-1-1, Minami-ku, Fukuoka 811-1395, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhito
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1,Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Notame 3-1-1, Minami-ku, Fukuoka 811-1395, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Toh
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1,Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Soejima
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1,Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital.
authors.forename: Koshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mimori
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Kumamoto University.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital.
authors.forename: Keishi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimachi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1,Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1,Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshizumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1,Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1,Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1,Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1,Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maehara
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome