Short-term surgical outcomes of laparoscopic colonic surgery in octogenarians: a matched case-control study

This study was undertaken to evaluate the short-term surgical outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for colonic carcinoma in octogenarians and compare them with those for a younger group of patients who underwent the same surgical procedures. This matched case-control study involved 17 octogenarian patients with colonic carcinoma who underwent laparoscopic surgery between 1996 and 2001. The results were compared with those for 34 matched patients aged 60 years or less who underwent the same surgical procedures during the same period. Both groups were well matched for clinical characteristics. However, the American Society of Anesthesiology status was significantly higher in the octogenarian group (P = 0.001). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the incidence of complications, the interval before resumption of liquid or solid food intake, or length of hospitalization. There were no deaths in either group. Advanced age should not be regarded as a contraindication for laparoscopic colonic surgery.