[Analysis by age of 472 acute cholecystitis operations].

A series of 472 operations of acute cholecystitis has been divided according to 3 age groups: above 80 years, between 70 and 79 years and less than 70 years old. These groups contain respectively 29, 88 and 355 cases. The clinical and pathological forms of these acute cholecystitis, the frequency of occurrence of lithiasis of the main biliary duct (BD) and of accompanying papillary stenosis, the type of surgical treatment, the time of surgery, the mortality and its causes have been comparatively analysed. In the very acute forms, the frequency of association with BD lithiasis, and cancer of the gallbladder increase with age. As could also be expected, an increase of mortality can be noted. Even though it is difficult to establish the least injurious technique to be applied in case of a BD lithiasis, it can be pointed out that the mortality is higher in delayed operations than in emergency operations. For elderly persons with a biliary lithiasis, even asymptomatic operation must be recommended as soon as possible as the frequency of acute cholecystitis as well as mortality increases with age. In acute cholecystitis an emergency operation (24 to 72 hours after admission) will nearly always be necessary.