Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in geriatric patients

The results and advantages of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the geriatric population have received minimal attention. Several early reports related high conversion rates complications and mortality. This case series review is focused on the results of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the geriatric population in a private practice environment.

The records of all patients undergoing cholecystectomy by the author over the past 12 years were reviewed. The entire series consists of 248 patients in whom 239 procedures were completed laparoscopically, with 9 patients converted to an open cholecystectomy. This report identifies 82 patients who were aged 65 years or older at the time of the laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The results of this series are reported in three progressive geriatric age groups: 65 to 74, 75 to 84, and 85 to 95 years.

All 82 geriatric patients reported from this series were symptomatic from their gallbladder disease. A majority of all patients in all age groups were female. Gallstones were present in 77 patients, and 5 patients had a gallbladder ejection fraction of less than 35%. In this series of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 26.8% had an emergent procedure for acute cholecystitis and the remainder had an elective or semielective procedure for symptomatic cholecystitis. The majority of patients between the ages of 65 and 84 years had elective procedures whereas the majority of patients over age 85 had an emergent procedure. There were 2 deaths. The first death (age 86 years) was from extensive metastatic cancer from the gallbladder, and the second patient (age 91 years) died of sepsis and multiple system organ failure. Each patient in this entire series had an attempt at laparoscopic removal of the gallbladder. The conversion rate was 3.6% in the entire series of 248 patients and also 3.6% in the geriatric series. Ninety-one percent of the patients in this geriatric series were discharged home after only 24 to 48 hours of postoperative observation.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe procedure in the geriatric population. The procedure should be recommended for all geriatric patients who have symptomatic cholecystitis before the development of acute cholecystitis or severe fibrosis with dense adhesions from chronic cholecystitis.