Abstract: Objective: To investigate the clinical features and management of the peri-operative period of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the elderly.Methods: Two hundred eighty patients who were more than 65 years of age and had received laparoscopic cholecystectomy were analyzed retrospectively.The average duration of operation,average hospital stay,the number of cases changing to laparotomy,the complications and the changes of pneumonary function and blood gas were compared with those of the young patients receiving laparoscopic cholecystectomy and the aged patients performed laparotomy.Results: For the old patients receiving cholecystectomy,the average duration of operation was 38 minutes;the rate of changing to laparotomy was 1.1%;and the complication rate was 0.4%,which was higher than that of the young patients but lower than that of the aged patients receiving laparotomy(P<0.01).The occurrence of pneumonia dysfunction and hypercapnia(20.0%) in the patients treated by cholecystectomy was obviously higher than those by laparotomy (P<0.01),but most can recover quickly after operation.Conclusions: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has the advantages of little injury and fast recovery for the aged patients.Rational and careful management in the peri-operative period can help the old patients withstand the laparoscopic cholecystectomy.