title: Is the rate of postoperative complications following laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy higher in elderly patients than in younger patients?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With an increase in life expectancy, very elderly patients are presenting with gastric cancer more commonly than ever. The present study retrospectively analyzed the surgical outcomes of laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy for gastric cancer in the young, elderly, and very elderly age groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 1,055 patients who underwent laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy between February 2002 and December 2012. We divided these patients into three groups; group 1 (young age, <65 years), group 2 (elderly age, 65-74 years), and group 3 (very elderly age, ≥75 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were statistical differences in the rates of postoperative complications among the three groups (P = 0.008). However, when assessed according to the severity of postoperative complications based on the Clavien-Dindo classification, there was no statistical difference among the three groups (P = 0.562).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy for gastric cancer can be performed in very elderly patients. In analyzing studies of elderly patients with postoperative complications following the procedure, not only should the rate of postoperative complications be taken into consideration, but also the severity of any postoperative complications.
authors.forename: Ki-Han
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Dong-A University College of Medicine, 3-1 Dongdaeshin-Dong, Seo-Gu, Busan 602-715, Korea. mckim@donga.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Min-Chan
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ghap-Joong
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
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