Surgical Treatment of Acute Cholecystitis in Patients over 80 Years: 10-Year Experience

Abstract

The prevalence of gallstones ranges from 20% to 30% in patients ≥ 60 years of age whereas it is higher in individuals ≥ 90 years of age. Elderly patients with gallstones tend to develop more complications such as gallbladder hydrops, empyema or perforation. Although perioperative morbidity and mortality is slightly high in elderly patients with acute cholecystitis, cholecystectomy is successfully performed for acute cholecystitis with regard to improvement in patients care. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the results of patients over 80 years of age who had cholecystectomy. The data of the 196 patients over 80 years of age who underwent cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitits between Jan 2011and August 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. The age of the patients in this study ranged from 80 to 97 years. The number of female patients was 111 and male patients was 85. 109 patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and 77 patients underwent open cholecystectomy. 10 patients converted from laparoscopic to open surgery. One patient who underwent open cholecystectomy died. We observed more wound infection in open cholecystectomy group. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients were discharged earlier. Age is not a contraindication for cholecystectomy in patients with acute cholecystitits. Cholecystectomy is a safe procedure in elderly patients with accepted morbidity.