Laparoscopic Surgery in Elderly Patients

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As people are living longer, patients who need surgical care are aging.

Now, patients 65 and over undergo 40% of surgeries in the United States. Surgery is moving toward minimally invasive procedures such as laparoscopy or robotic surgery whenever possible because of less pain, shorter recovery times, and shorter hospital stays.

However, is laparoscopic surgery a safe option for older patients? In 2015, the journal Aging and Disease tackled this topic.

Looking at four common procedures in elderly patients, Aging and Disease found that laparoscopic procedures are beneficial to elderly patients for the reasons mentioned above. 

The journal looked at laparoscopic cholecystectomy, laparoscopic inguinal hernia, laparoscopic ventral hernia, and laparoscopic colon resection, comparing morbidity and mortality rates, post-surgery pain, recovery times, and hospital stays to the open version of each procedure. 

To learn more, read the full article. Lincoln Surgical Associates can help you and your patients decide if laparoscopic surgery is right for them. Call 618.277.7400 to refer your patient to one of our surgeons.