Minilaparotomy cholecystectomy in elderly and senile patients

Aim. To evaluate the efficacy of minilaparotomy access and programmed treatment of cholecystectomy complications in elderly and senile patients.

Methods. 160 patients (113 women and 47 men), who underwent surgery in the period from 2010 to 2012 in the departments of surgery at the Municipal clinical hospital №1 (Bishkek), were followed-up. Patients mean age was 68.4±3.5 years. Cholecystectomy and biliodigestive anastomoses were performed using mini-access in all patients. In addition to clinical and laboratory diagnostic methods, ultrasound examination with gallbladder projection detection on the anterior abdominal wall to select surgical approach was used.

Results. The surgery results of 160 elderly and senile patients with acute cholecystitis who underwent minilaparotomy cholecystectomy are presented. In 12 (7.5%) patients after cholecystectomy, choledochotomy (or choledochoduodenostomy) was performed to remove stones from the common bile duct; external drainage of the common bile duct by Ker or A.V. Vishnevskiy was performed on 10 of them, and in 2 cases choledochoduodenoanastomosis by Yurash-Vinogradov was imposed. Complications were registered in 9 (5.6%) patients. 1 patient died as a result of pulmonary embolism developed on the 5th day after the surgery. Conversion rate was 5% (8 patients). Treatment of complications was performed by developed and implemented in the clinic algorithm (regional lymphostimulation, breathing exercises, infrared laser irradiation). The average hospital stay of patients without complications was 7.8±0.87 bed-days, and patients with complications - 9.4±0.14 bed-days.

Conclusion. Our observations showed the possibility to perform surgery for acute cholecystitis in elderly and senile patients by the minilaparotomy access in case of taking into account patients general condition, following the surgical technique and the active management of the postoperative period.