Safety of Nonagenarians Receiving Therapeutic ERCP, Single Center Experience

(1) Background: The complication rates for nonagenarians receiving therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) remain poorly understood. We aimed to determine whether nonagenarians were at an increased risk of ERCP-related complications. (2) Methods: We performed a retrospective study on therapeutic ERCP in nonagenarians from 2011 to 2016 at Taichung Veterans General Hospital. A control group comprising patients aged 65 to 89 years was used to compare demographic data and the outcomes of therapeutic ERCP with the nonagenarians. The risk factors for complications were determined by logistic regression model. (3) Results: There were 35 nonagenarians and 111 patients in the control group. Overall, complication rates were not statistically different between the two groups. However, advanced age was an independent predictor of complications in the multivariate analysis (odds ratio [OR] = 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-1.12; p = 0.049). End stage renal disease (ESRD) was another independent predictor of complications (OR = 4.87; 95% CI = 1.11-21.36; p = 0.036). Post-ERCP pancreatitis and bleeding were more common in ESRD patients than patients without ESRD. (4) Conclusions: Although nonagenarians receiving ERCP did not have more complications compared to elderly patients younger than 90 years, advanced age and comorbidity still affect the outcome of therapeutic ERCP in the elderly patients.