Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery for the Aged People

Abstract

Purpose. Controversial issues surrounding laparoscopic colorectal surgery include longer time required to complete the difficult surgery and the high conversion and complication rates as previously reported. Most important, the laparoscopic procedures may adversely affect aged people, who often have compromised cardiopulmonary function. The purpose of this single-center, retrospective study was to evaluate the feasibility of laparoscopic colorectal surgery in the aged patients with colorectal disease. Methods. We collect the data of patients with the age of 75 years or more, who had elective laparoscopic or open colorectal surgery, from September, 1998 to October, 2002. Results. There were 79 patients in the laparoscopic surgery group (LAC group) and 82 patients in the conventional open surgery group (OC group). The mean age of the LAC group was78.7±3.7 years and that of the OC group was79.3±4.2 years. There were 55 male and 24 female patients in the LAC group and 58 male and 24 female in the OC group. Seventy six patients in the LAC group and 81 patients in the OC group had colorectal or anal cancer. The conversion rate of the LAC group was 1.3% (1/79). The operative complication rate was 27.8% for the LAC group and 35.4% for the OC group. Complications requiring further open operations in the LAC group occurred in two patients (2.5%). The mortality rate was 3.8% in the LAC group and 6.1% in the OC group. Conclusion. According to the results of the study, we consider that laparoscopic surgery for colorectal diseases is as safe as the open method for the aged patients.