Open vs Laparoscopic surgery in the over 85 group
Patients over the age of 85 were analysed as to which surgical approach was used (Table 5). Forty-eight patients over the age of 85 underwent surgical resection. Eleven patients had an open procedure (23%) while thirty-seven had a laparoscopic procedure (77%).
The median length of stay between the open and laparoscopic groups was similar at 9 and 8 days respectively. The percentage of patients whose stay was over 14 days was higher in the open technique group (open group, 55% vs laparoscopic group, 32%, p=0.18). The 30-day mortality between the groups was also similar (9% vs 0%, p=0.063). Open procedures were more likely to be emergency surgical procedures (6/11, 55% vs 3/37, 8%, p=0.002).
There were no major differences in the distribution of the Clavien-Dindo grading or severity of complications between the two groups (p=0.46). High-grade post-operative complications occurred in 9% of open procedures compared to the 6% of laparoscopic procedures.