LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY IN THE ELDERLY - ANALYSIS OF PREOPERATIVE RISK-FACTORS AND POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS

A retrospective study was conducted of two groups of patients over (gr oup 1, n = 57) and under (group 2, n = 655) the age of 70 years who un derwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). The pre-operative physical status and systemic complications, operation time, postoperative compl ications, postoperative hospital stay and other clinical features of t he two groups were compared. The incidence of pre-operative complicati ons in group 1 was significantly higher than that in group 2 (P < 0.05 ). Postoperatively no severe complication was found in any patient. Gr oup 1 showed significantly prolonged operation time and postoperative hospital stay compared with group 2 (P < 0.05). The difference between the groups in the intra-operative treatment time and postoperative tr eatment is attributed to the greater prevalence of common bile duct st one in group 1 as there was little difference between the groups in th e postoperative recovery after exclusion of these patients. No pulmona ry complications, which are associated with LC, were observed; the pos tprocedure pain was slight and the period of bedrest was short. If com plications associated with pneumoperitoneum can be prevented, this sur gery is an excellent measure to improve the quality of life of even el derly patients with cholecystolithiasis.