[Surgical complications of gallbladder and the biliary tree in the elderly patients]

the morbidity and mortality in surgery of gallbladder and biliary tract (SGBT) in the geriatric patient define the prognostic. The aim was to describe the perioperative and immediate post-operative complications of the geriatric patient undergoing SGBT.

A cross-sectional study with control group in patients older than 60 years was done. The patients were divided into two groups by age (I: 60-69 years and II: > 70 years). The variables analyzed were morbidity, anesthetic risk, type of surgery, perioperative and post-operative complications, conversion rate and length of hospital stay.

a total of 236 patients were included: 65.2 % were females with a mean age 68.5 years. Chronic cholelithiasis accounted for 83 % and laparoscopic cholecystectomy was the procedure most commonly performed (72.8 %). Surgery was scheduled in 92 % cases and urgently in 8 %. In both groups, ASA rank was I-II in 76.2 % vs. 70.1 %; the conversion rate was 2.5 %. Complications were 13.5 %, of which 9.3 % were postoperative and 4.2 % of perioperative. Complications were higher in emergency surgery than elective surgery (36.8 % vs. 11.8 %). The average hospital stay was 4.2 days and there was no mortality.

the age does not represent an increase in complications. The laparoscopic cholecystectomy is safe and applicable in elderly. Complications presented were related to the urgent nature of the surgery.