Single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy in geriatric patients.
BACKGROUND
Laparoscopy is a surgical approach recommended for the treatment of gall bladder disease. It is recommended also in geriatric patients. Recently Single Incision Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (SILC) has been proposed to minimize surgical trauma, recovery and hospitalization time. However, the results and advantages of SILC in the geriatric population have received minimal attention. This case series review is focused on the results of SILC in the geriatric population.


METHODS
The records of 355 patients who had undergone SILC were reviewed. This report identifies, in the entire cohort, 40 patients aged 65 years or older at the time of surgery who will be the object of this study (geriatric series). Clinical outcomes and results were evaluated. Moreover, post-operative pain of the geriatric cohort was compared to that of the entire series.


RESULTS
SILC was successfully completed for 347 out of 355 patients of the entire series, with no mortality reported. In total SILC was converted to standard laparoscopy in 10 patients (2.2%) but never to open procedure. No significant difference was found between the total cohort and the geriatric series in terms of median time of operation (61.20 min vs 68.38 min). Post-operative pain was significantly lower in geriatric patients.


CONCLUSIONS
SILC is an effective and safe procedure for the treatment of gallbladder disease of elderly, also in terms of post-operative pain and it represents an alternative to the standard laparoscopic approach on a routine basis.
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Magna Græcia of Catanzaro, Italy. Electronic address: arizzuto@unicz.it.
Antonia
A
Rizzuto
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Magna Græcia of Catanzaro, Italy.
Raffaele
R
Serra
Department of Health Science, University Magna Græcia of Catanzaro, Italy.
Chiara
C
Mignogna
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Magna Græcia of Catanzaro, Italy.
Ilaria
I
Palaia
Department of Surgery, Stadt Klinikum Frankenthal Germany.
Franz Ulrich
FU
Zittel
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Magna Græcia of Catanzaro, Italy.
Rosario
R
Sacco
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005705:Gallbladder Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014472:Umbilicus / Q000601:surgery
Gallbladder disease; Laparoscopic cholecystectomy; Laparoscopy in elderly; SILC; Single incision laparoscopic surgery