Endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation for bile duct stones in elderly patients.

AIM: To investigate whether endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation (EPLBD) can be safety and effectively performed in patients aged >= 80 years. METHODS: Lithotomy by EPLBD was conducted in 106 patients with bile duct stones >= 13 mm in size or with three or more bile duct stones >= 10 mm. The patients were divided into group A (< 80 years) and group B (>= 80 years). Procedure success rate, number of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographies (ERCP), and incidence of complications were examined in both groups. RESULTS: Group B tended to include significantly more patients with peripapillary diverticulum, hypertension, hyperlipemia, cerebrovascular disease/dementia, respiratory disease/cardiac disease, and patients administered an anticoagulant or antiplatelet agent (P < 0.05). The success rate of the initial lithotomy was 88.7 (94/106)%. The final lithotomy rate was 100 (106/106)%. Complications due to treatment procedure occurred in 4.72 (5/106)% of the patients. There was no significant difference in procedure success rate, number of ERCP, or incidence of complications between group A and group B. CONCLUSION: EPLBD can be safely performed in elderly patients, the same as in younger patients.