Laparoscopic colorectal surgery in elderly patients: a case-control study of 15 years of experience

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to review the impact of age (>= 75 years) on the short-term outcomes of laparoscopic colorectal surgery. METHODS: Three hundred seventy-nine patients under 70 years of age and 91 patients 75 years and older were analyzed. Quantification of comorbidities was performed using the Charlson Weighted Comorbidity Index. Outcome measures were postoperative complications and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: There was no difference in the occurrence of postoperative complications between the younger and older patients. Bivariate analysis revealed that patient age was not a risk factor of major complications (odds ratio = 1.2; 95% confidence interval, .6-2.3). Although bivariate analysis revealed that older age had a statistically significant odds ratio for 30-day mortality (odds ratio = 12.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-125.4), multivariate analysis revealed that it was a weighted comorbidity index score of 5 or more (P = .02) and long operative time (P = .01) that were independent predictors of 30-day mortality and not age per se. CONCLUSIONS: Age is not an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality in laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.