Colorectal surgery in elderly population

With the rising number of elderly patients and increasing incidence of colorectal cancer, management of geriatric patients has become the forefront of colorectal surgery.

This study aimed to investigate the short-term surgical outcomes following colorectal resection in elderly patients.

A total of 464 patients who underwent surgical resection for colorectal tumor between 2013 and 2017 were included. The patients were divided into elderly (≥75 years) and young (<75 years) group. The clinicopathological data of the patients were reviewed retrospectively.

The elderly group constituted 30% of study population. More patients in elderly group underwent Hartmann procedure (p=0.02) and right hemicolectomy (p=0.029), and younger patients more often received low anterior resection (p=0.027). The surgical procedure took a shorter time in elderly group (p<0.01) but they stayed in the hospital one day longer (p=0.023). Postoperative complications and mortality tended to be higher in seniors (p=0.088). The younger patients showed a tendency towards a higher rate of distant metastases (p=0.053). Seniors received fewer preoperative chemoradiation than the young group (p=0.014).

Older persons constitute one-third of patients treated electively in colorectal departments. Colorectal surgery in geriatric patients is associated with a prolonged hospital stay and a higher potential for complications and mortality.