ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To analyze endoscopic treatment of choledocholithiasis in patients over 80 years old. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A single-center retrospective study included 90 consecutive patients aged ≥80 years and 58 patients aged 60-79 years. Early outcomes including efficacy of calculus removal, incidence of complications and their risk factors were evaluated. RESULTS: In 75 patients aged ≥80 years (83.3%), endoscopic treatment was effective definitive single procedure. Between-group differences were insignificant (p=0.163). Patients aged ≥80 years were characterized by higher percentage of ASA classes 2-4 (p<0.001), age-adjusted mean Charlson comorbidity index (p=0.004), and ≥2 calculi (64.4% vs. 32.8%, p<0.001). Postoperative morbidity was similar (7.8% vs. 6.9%, p=0.842). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of potential risk factors did not reveal significant correlations: Chi-square test was 14.94 at 15 degrees of freedom (p=0.463). CONCLUSION: Similar postoperative morbidity determines safety of endoscopic lithoextraction in patients aged over 80 years. We should emphasize higher percentage of advanced age patients with «difficult¼ choledocholithiasis that requires appropriate training of specialists, adequate equipment of hospitals and routing of patients.
