Laparoscopic radical gastrectomy versus traditional open surgery in elderly patients with gastric cancer: Benefits and complications.

This study was conducted to compare the therapeutic effect and complications of laparoscopic radical gastrectomy (LRG) with those of traditional open surgery in elderly patients with gastric cancer (GC). We conducted a retrospective comparison of therapeutic efficacy and complications between elderly patients with GC (defined as those aged ≥70 years) who received laparoscopic gastrectomy and those who underwent gastrectomy by open surgery. A total of 108 patients who either underwent laparoscopic surgery (n=54) or traditional open surgery (n=54) at the General Hospital of Lanzhou Military Region between June, 2008 and March, 2009 were analyzed. Compared to traditional open surgery, LRG exhibited several advantages, such as being less invasive, with less intraoperative blood loss, shorter bedbound time, less intubation time, low frequency of fever, less time to normal diet, shorter hospital stay and a low overall incidence of complications. No significant difference was observed between laparoscopic and open surgery in terms of operative time and number of lymph nodes dissected. The 3-year cancer recurrence and mortality rates were similar in the two groups. In conclusion, LRG is a safe and effective procedure for the management of GC in elderly patients and was found to be superior to traditional open surgery regarding the short-term curative effect. Therefore, LRG represents a feasible and safe surgical approach for elderly patients with GC.