[Pancreaticoduodenectomy in elderly patients--a safe operation?]

The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of age in mortality and morbidity after duodenopancreatectomy (DPC), setting the age of 70 as a cut-off. A retrospective study was made of two groups of patients (under 70 and over 70 years old) who underwent DPC in the Center of General Surgery and Hepatic Transplantation, Fundeni, Bucharest between 2001 and 2006 for malignant and benign tumors of the pancreatic head, distal biliary tract, duodenum, Vater's ampulla and chronic pancreatitis. 245 DPC were performed, 207 in patients under 70 years old (group A) and 38 in patients over 70 years old. Postoperative global morbidity rate was 58% in group B vs 49,9 % in group A. Postoperative mortality rate was 5,2% in group B and 4,8 % in group A. No significant differences were recorded in survival when comparing the two groups, both in pancreatic head cancer or distal biliary tract cancer. Under these circumstances, increased age is not determining an increase in postoperative mortality after DPC, but is associated with a higher risk of postoperative medical complications.