[Surgery of the biliary tract in geriatric patients (author's transl)]

During 5 years 1311 operations for benign diseases of the biliary tract were performed. 281 patients were more than 70 years old, on the average 76,1 years. According to experience and the results the following is emphasized: 1. Complications of gallstones are relatively more frequent in old patients. 2. Cholecystectomy for chronic gall bladder disease should be performed even in old age. Our postoperative mortality rate was 2,5%, increasing to 15,1% when operation was done in a stage of complications. 3. Acute inflammatory cholecystitis should be treated by urgent operation, especially in old age. 4. Cholecystectomy is the method of choice for acute cholecystitis. Cholecystostomy is used only in few exceptional cases. 5. Cholangiometry and cholangiography are always executed, if the cystic duct can be cannulated, even in cases of acute inflammation. 6. If there are stones in the common duct or a stenosis of Oddi's sphineter is found, an acute inflammatory or perforated cholecystitis is no impediment for a one stage repair. 7. Cholangioscopy is the unsurpassable method for exploring the common duct, when it was opened or sphincterotomy was done. 8. Principally indications for transduodenal sphincterotomy are the same for all age groups. The postoperative mortality rate is not higher than after other operations involving the common duct. 9. In old age choledochoduodenostomy is sometimes a good alternative to sphicterotomy. 10. In cases of recurrent operation due to overlooked stones in the common duct or sclerosis of Oddi's sphincter the mortality rate is not higher than after primary interventions for such affections.