Background: The incidence of colorectal carcinoma increases in the elderly.
Regardless of age as an isolated factor, postoperative complications repre
sent the main factor in increasing hospital mortality.
Methods: The aim of this study was to compare the shortterm results (first
30 postoperative days) after laparoscopically assisted colectomy (LAC) and
open segmental colectomy (OC) in colorectal carcinoma between two groups of
patients, older than 70 and younger than 70 years of age. In the study fro
m November 1993 to June 1998, 255 patients were evaluated to participate.
Results: Peristalsis, oral intake, and discharge from the hospital occurred
earlier in LAC than in OC treated patients, in the two age groups. The mea
n operative time was significantly longer in the LAC than in the OC patient
s in the two age groups. No differences were observed in morbidity between
LAC and OC in the group younger than 70 years of age. However, the overall
morbidity was significantly lower in the LAC group in patients older than 7
0 years. One patient in the LAC group older than 70 years died.
Conclusion: These results suggest that laparoscopically assisted colectomy
may be particularly indicated in elderly patients.