Laparoscopic cholecystectomy - Outcomes in elderly patients

In the course of time the laparoscopic technique has been increasingly introduced for the surgical treatment of elder patients as well. The analysis of our data did not show any difference between defined age groups concerning duration of operation and specific morbidity. The frequence of acute cholecystitis increased in elder patients. General complications (pulmonal, cardial, thrombembolic complications, urinary infection, kidney insufficiency) and wound infection increased significantly (p < 0.05) in elder patients (>80 years), but the frequence (3.6%) is low. In elder patients laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a procedure with low specific and general morbidity, even though operation is more frequently done in condition of acute cholecystitis.