Clinical SciencePancreaticoduodenectomy hospital resource utilization in octogenarians

- Perioperative complications were equivalent among cohorts.
- Increasing age was associated with intensive care use, increased length of stay, and the likelihood of discharge to a skilled facility.
- Hospital charges between septuagenarians and octogenarians were equivalent.
- Complications and length of stay were associated with higher hospital charges

BackgroundAlthough pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is feasible in patients greater than or equal to 80 years, little is known about the potential strain on resource utilization.MethodsOutcomes and inpatient charges were compared across age cohorts (I: ≤70, II: 71 to 79, III: ≥80 years) in 99 patients who underwent PD (2005 to 2013) at our institution. The generalized linear modeling approach was used to estimate the impact of age.ResultsPerioperative complications were equivalent among cohorts. Increasing age was associated with intensive care unit use, increased length of stay (LOS), and the likelihood of discharge to a skilled facility. After controlling for covariates, hospital charges were significantly higher in Cohort III (P = .006) and Cohort II (P = .035) when compared with Cohort I. However, hospital charges between Cohorts II and III were equivalent (P = .374). Complications (P = .005) and LOS (P < .001) were associated with higher hospital charges.ConclusionsIncreasing age was associated with increased intensive care unit, LOS, and discharge to skilled facilities. However, octogenarians had equivalent PD charges and outcome measures when compared with septuagenarians and future studies should validate these findings in larger national studies.