A Case of Surgery for Transverse Colon Cancer in an 104-year-old Man

As Japan's population ages, the number of cases of abdominal surgery at advanced ages is increasing. Few reports have been made, however, on laparotomy in people aged 100 years or older in Japan. We report a 104-year-old man who underwent partial colectomy for colon cancer and lived to age 107. After his initial report of abdominal pain was diagnosed as ileus by X-ray examination, he was admitted and enema examination showed an apple core sign at the right colic flexure. A partial resection for transverse colon cancer was conducted under general anesthesia, followed on postoperative day (POD) 6 by dehiscence of an infected wound. After conservative treatment, the wound was resutured under a second round of general anesthesia, which proved uneventful. The man walked preoperatively with a cane and no postoperative mental disorder was observed. After discharge on POD 128, he survived without recurrence 3 years and 8 months until dying of insenescence at the age of 107. We thus believe that elective laparotomy can be safely conducted without severe complications even on patients over 100 years of age.