Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients: Avoid or expedite? - A comparative cohort study

Introduction: Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has become the gold standard for treating gall bladder stones (GBS), its safety in elderly patients is still questioned. This study aimed to assess the outcome of LC in patients 70 and older compared to younger patients. Patients and Methods:...

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Main Authors: Maria Mondragon, Ali Yasen Mohamedahmed, Shafquat Zaman, Ja’quay Farquharson, Usman Raja, Arhum Ijaz, Deepak Singh-Ranger
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Minimal Access Surgery
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Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jmas.jmas_138_24
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author Maria Mondragon
Ali Yasen Mohamedahmed
Shafquat Zaman
Ja’quay Farquharson
Usman Raja
Arhum Ijaz
Deepak Singh-Ranger
author_facet Maria Mondragon
Ali Yasen Mohamedahmed
Shafquat Zaman
Ja’quay Farquharson
Usman Raja
Arhum Ijaz
Deepak Singh-Ranger
author_sort Maria Mondragon
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has become the gold standard for treating gall bladder stones (GBS), its safety in elderly patients is still questioned. This study aimed to assess the outcome of LC in patients 70 and older compared to younger patients. Patients and Methods: The medical records of 548 patients undergoing LC were evaluated retrospectively. Patients’ demographics and post-operative complications were recorded. Furthermore, patients were divided according to the CEPOD into emergency and elective patients, and complications were recorded according to Clavien–Dindo (CD) classifications. Data analysis was performed with SPSS software version 27. Results: Patients were divided into the elderly patients group (≥70 years of age, n = 185) and the young patients group (<70 years of age, n = 363). The ≥70-year-old group showed a significantly higher number of patients who required emergency admission with GBS symptoms (P = 0.001), emergency LC (P = 0.01) and conversion to open (P = 0.02). The two groups showed comparable post-operative complications: bile leak (P = 0.26), collection (P = 0.11) and re-operation (P = 0.60), post-operative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (P = 1.0), GBS pancreatitis (P = 0.33) and death (0.30). CD I–II complications were higher in the ≥ 70-year-old group compared to the <70-year-old group in elective (P = 0.01) and emergency (P = 0.03) LC. However, CD ≥3 complications were higher in the ≥70-year-old group than the <70-year-old group in the emergency LC (P = 0.01) and comparable in the elective LC (P = 0.12). Conclusion: LC is safe and efficient in elderly patients. Elective LC should be expedited in elderly patients to avoid emergency admissions and emergency LC, which are associated with higher complication rates.
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spelling doaj-art-119dabf04ad64374ac09aed7aba0f74a2025-08-20T03:41:57ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Minimal Access Surgery0972-99411998-39212025-07-0121326526910.4103/jmas.jmas_138_24Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients: Avoid or expedite? - A comparative cohort studyMaria MondragonAli Yasen MohamedahmedShafquat ZamanJa’quay FarquharsonUsman RajaArhum IjazDeepak Singh-RangerIntroduction: Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has become the gold standard for treating gall bladder stones (GBS), its safety in elderly patients is still questioned. This study aimed to assess the outcome of LC in patients 70 and older compared to younger patients. Patients and Methods: The medical records of 548 patients undergoing LC were evaluated retrospectively. Patients’ demographics and post-operative complications were recorded. Furthermore, patients were divided according to the CEPOD into emergency and elective patients, and complications were recorded according to Clavien–Dindo (CD) classifications. Data analysis was performed with SPSS software version 27. Results: Patients were divided into the elderly patients group (≥70 years of age, n = 185) and the young patients group (<70 years of age, n = 363). The ≥70-year-old group showed a significantly higher number of patients who required emergency admission with GBS symptoms (P = 0.001), emergency LC (P = 0.01) and conversion to open (P = 0.02). The two groups showed comparable post-operative complications: bile leak (P = 0.26), collection (P = 0.11) and re-operation (P = 0.60), post-operative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (P = 1.0), GBS pancreatitis (P = 0.33) and death (0.30). CD I–II complications were higher in the ≥ 70-year-old group compared to the <70-year-old group in elective (P = 0.01) and emergency (P = 0.03) LC. However, CD ≥3 complications were higher in the ≥70-year-old group than the <70-year-old group in the emergency LC (P = 0.01) and comparable in the elective LC (P = 0.12). Conclusion: LC is safe and efficient in elderly patients. Elective LC should be expedited in elderly patients to avoid emergency admissions and emergency LC, which are associated with higher complication rates.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jmas.jmas_138_24elderly patientsgall bladder stoneslaparoscopic cholecystectomy
spellingShingle Maria Mondragon
Ali Yasen Mohamedahmed
Shafquat Zaman
Ja’quay Farquharson
Usman Raja
Arhum Ijaz
Deepak Singh-Ranger
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients: Avoid or expedite? - A comparative cohort study
Journal of Minimal Access Surgery
elderly patients
gall bladder stones
laparoscopic cholecystectomy
title Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients: Avoid or expedite? - A comparative cohort study
title_full Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients: Avoid or expedite? - A comparative cohort study
title_fullStr Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients: Avoid or expedite? - A comparative cohort study
title_full_unstemmed Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients: Avoid or expedite? - A comparative cohort study
title_short Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients: Avoid or expedite? - A comparative cohort study
title_sort laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients avoid or expedite a comparative cohort study
topic elderly patients
gall bladder stones
laparoscopic cholecystectomy
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jmas.jmas_138_24
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AT jaquayfarquharson laparoscopiccholecystectomyinelderlypatientsavoidorexpediteacomparativecohortstudy
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