A REPORT OF 44 INSTANCES OF PANCREATICODUODENAL RESECTION IN PATIENTSMORE THAN 70 YEARS OF AGE

Between january 1970 and December 1990, 223 patients underwent pancrea ticoduodenal resection for pancreatic or periampullary tumors. Forty-f our of these patients were 70 years of age or older and 179 patients w ere less than 70 years of age. In the older group, 27 patients were op erated upon after 1986.The overall operative mortality rate was 9.0 pe rcent and 2.5 percent during the last five years. The overall operativ e mortality rate was 4.5 percent in patients more than 70 years of age and 10 percent in those less than 70 years of age. The overall operat ive morbidity rate was 35 percent; 36 percent in patients more than 70 years of age and 35 percent in those less than 70 years of age. Survi val was related to tumor histologic factors. For carcinoma of the panc reas, the survival rate at five years was 17 percent in patients more than 70 years of age and 19 percent in patients less than 70 years of age. For the ampullary carcinoma, the survival rate at five years was 38 percent in patients more than 70 years of age and 45 percent in pat ients less than 70 years of age. It can be concluded that, in a select ed group, age is not a limiting factor for pancreaticoduodenal resecti on.