[Laparoscopy in early postoperative period in elderly and old patients]

For diagnosis and treatment of early postoperative intraabdominal complications 118 laparoscopic procedures were performed in 95 patients aged 55 to 94 years. Examination was carried out from 2 hours to 17 days after the first surgery. Diagnostic laparoscopy after surgeries on the liver and bile ducts was performed in 51 patients (most often), after ones on the intestine -- in 12 patients, on the stomach and the duodenum -- in 7, on organs of the small pelvis -- in 6, after appendectomy -- in 6 and after herniotomy -- in 8 patients. Primary surgery was emergency and urgent in 76, elective -- in 19 patients. Results of treatment of similar complications were studied in 91 patients (control group) who underwent laparotomy without previous laparoscopy. Both groups of patients were comparable by sex, age, severity of disease and types of primary surgical procedures. It is demonstrated that diagnostic and curative laparoscopic procedures in early postoperative intraabdominal complications in elderly and old patients permit to reduce lethality 2.4 fold.