The operative risk factors of cholelithiasis in the elderly

A total 725 patients with cholelithiasis were divided into three groups according to age, and the risk factors and morbidity rates compared. Group 1 consisted of those aged younger than 49 years, group 2 of those aged between 50 to 69 years, and group 3 of those aged over 70 years. In group 3, the incidence of calculi in the common bile duct was significantly higher than in the other two groups (p less than 0.05), and therefore, choledochotomy accompanying cholecystectomy was performed more often in this group (p less than 0.01). The rate of complications related to calculi and the presence of underlying disease were also higher in this group than in the two younger groups (p less than 0.05), as were preoperative abnormal liver or renal function tests, anemia and hypoproteinemia (p less than 0.05). The rate of positive bile cultures in group 3 was 75.6 per cent which was again significantly higher than in groups 1 and 2 (p less than 0.01). Postoperative complications appeared in 14.3 per cent of the group 3 patients, which was not statistically higher than in group 2 (9.7 per cent), but the percentages of both groups 2 and 3 were high compared to the 4.3 per cent of group 1 (p less than 0.01). The rates of complications directly attributable to the surgical procedures were 2.0 per cent in group 1, 4.8 per cent in group 2, and 5.1 per cent in group 3 with no significant differences between the three groups. There was no increase in the technical problems associated with the surgical procedures performed on the elderly patients and thus, if the operative risks are precisely evaluated and treated cautiously elderly patients should tolerate surgery for cholelithiasis well.