The safety of a pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients older than 80 years: risk vs. benefits

BackgroundA pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) offers the only chance of a cure for pancreatic cancer and can be performed with low mortality and morbidity. However, little is known about outcomes of a PD in octogenarians.MethodsDifferences in two groups of patients (Group Y, 2: 71% vs. 47%). The two groups were similar in underlying co-morbidities, operative time, rates of portal vein resection, intra-operative complications, blood loss, pathological stage and status of resection margins. Octogenarians had a longer post-operative stay (20 vs. 14 days) and higher overall morbidity (68% vs. 44%). There was a single death in each group. At a median follow-up of 13 months median survival appeared similar in the two groups (17 vs. 13 months).ConclusionsAs 30-day mortality and survival are similar to those observed in younger patients, a PD can be offered to carefully selected octogenarians.