Colorectal surgery in elderly population

Introduction: With the rising number of elderly patients and increasing incidence of colorectal cancer, management of geriatric patients has become the forefront of colorectal surgery. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the short-term surgical outcomes that follow colorectal resection in elderly patients. Materials and methods: A total of 464 patients who underwent surgical resection for colorectal tumor between 2013 and 2017 were included. The patients were divided into a group of the elderly (≥75 years) and the young (<75 years). Clinicopathological data of the patients were reviewed retrospectively. Results: The elderly group constituted 30% of the study population. A greater number of patients in the elderly group underwent Hartmann’s procedure (p = 0.02) and right hemicolectomy (p = 0.029), and younger patients more often received low anterior resection (p = 0.027). The duration of the surgical procedure was shorter in the elderly group (p < 0.01) but they stayed in the hospital one day longer (p = 0.023). Postoperative complications and mortality tended to be higher in seniors (p = 0.088). The younger patients showed a tendency towards a higher rate of distant metastases (p = 0.053). Seniors received fewer preoperative chemoradiation in comparison to the young group (p = 0.014). Conclusion: Older persons constitute one-third of patients treated electively in colorectal departments. Colorectal surgery in geriatric patients is associated with a prolonged hospital stay and a higher potential for complications and mortality.