Can mortality in gallstone disease be reduced? An analysis of 1013 patients

A 10-year retrospective review of 1,013 patients with gallstone disease is analysed. The median age of the patients was 66 (18-100) years. 499 patients (49%) were admitted as emergencies. There was a significant relationship between the patient's age, complicated disease and lethality. The mort...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Tidsskrift for den Norske Lægeforening Vol. 117; no. 20; p. 2944
Main Authors:	Bjerkeset, T, Drogset, J O, Svinsås, M
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	Norwegian
Published:	Norway 30-08-1997
Subjects:	Adult Aged Cholelithiasis - mortality Elective Surgical Procedures Female Humans Male Middle Aged Norway - epidemiology Postoperative Complications - diagnosis Prognosis Retrospective Studies Norway
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Summary:	A 10-year retrospective review of 1,013 patients with gallstone disease is analysed. The median age of the patients was 66 (18-100) years. 499 patients (49%) were admitted as emergencies. There was a significant relationship between the patient's age, complicated disease and lethality. The mortality was 1%. No patients below the age of 70 died. There was also a significant relationship between duration of the disease and mortality. Emergency operations and delayed operations for acute disease were encumbered with the highest lethality (7%), while early planned operation for acute disease and elective operations showed a lethality of 0.5 and 0.2% respectively. We advocate a more liberal attitude towards elective operations and early operative intervention in elderly patients who do not respond to medical treatment.
ISSN:	0029-2001