Biliary tract surgery in the elderly

Abstract

A series of patients aged 80 years and older who underwent biliary tract procedures over a 6 year period (January 1973 to December 1978) is presented. Emergency operations were performed in most of these patients, with a mortality of 12.5 percent. Elective procedures were well tolerated, with no mortality. Elective cholecystectomy should not be denied to elderly patients with symptomatic biliary tract disease.