Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients over 70 years of age: review of 176 cases.

ABSTRACT

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.