Abstract

PEREZ LARA, F. J. et al. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients over 70 years of age: review of 176 cases. Rev. esp. enferm. dig. [online]. 2006, vol.98, n.1, pp.42-48. ISSN 1130-0108.

Introduction: we assessed the results of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in 176 patients over the age of 70 years. Patients and methods: the study included all patients older than 70 years of age who underwent laparoscopic surgery cholelithiasis during the previous ten years. Variables studied included age, sex, type of operation (programmed/emergency), comorbidity, anesthetic risk, intraoperative cholangiography, conversion to open surgery, number of trocars, reoperation, residual choledocholithiasis, postoperative hospital stay, morbidity and mortality. Results: the study included 176 patients (23.29% men and 76.71% women). The mean age was 74.86 years. The mean hospital stay was 1.27 days, with 16.98% morbidity and 0.56% mortality. Conclusions: laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe procedure in older patients. It results in faster recovery, a shorter postoperative stay and lower rates of morbidity and mortality than open bile duct surgery.

Keywords : Laparoscopic cholecystectomy; Elderly; Age; Cholelithiasis.

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