Background and Aim Endoscopic stone removal has some complications. Although the life expectancy of elderly patients has increased dramatically worldwide, little information is available on the necessity of complete endoscopic stone removal in extremely elderly patients. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of complete endoscopic stone removal in extremely elderly patients. Methods All extremely elderly patients (>90 years) who underwent endoscopic stone removal for choledocholithiasis at our hospital between January 2012 and January 2017 were retrospectively evaluated. The included patients were divided into complete stone removal and incomplete stone removal groups. Complication rate, overall survival (OS), and disease‐specific survival (DSS) rates were compared between the two groups. Results Overall, 73 patients were included in this study. The median number of stones was one (range, 0–10) and two (range, 1–12) (P = 0.043), while the median diameter of the largest stones was 9 (range, 0–27) and 14 (range, 5–46) mm (P = 0.001) in the complete and incomplete stone removal groups, respectively. During the follow‐up period, OS was 60% and 39% and DSS was 95% and 97% in the complete and incomplete stone removal groups, respectively. Kaplan–Meier analysis found no significant difference in OS and DSS between the two groups (P = 0.052 and P = 0.646, respectively). Conclusion Complete stone removal might not always be necessary in extremely elderly patients aged ≥90 years.

We report 4 cases of hypopharyngeal cancer preoperatively suspected with synchronous lymph node metastases. Pathologic lymph node metastasis was confirmed in three of the four cases. All 4 cases underwent endoscopic laryngopharyngeal surgery (ELPS) combined with endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and subsequent lymph node dissection as an optional treatment rather than the standard treatment. Peroral resection for primary site was selected because of the expected decline in quality of life (QoL) after radical surgery. Among 4 patients, one developed local recurrence; however, the other three remained recurrence-free and survived without any additional treatment. Furthermore, the patient who developed local recurrence had a recurrence-free survival for more than 5 years, with additional chemoradiation therapy. No disorders in speech, swallowing, or breathing was observed during the follow-up period. ELPS combined with ESD is generally indicated for laryngopharyngeal cancer without synchronous lymph node metastasis. However, this can be a treatment option for patients may wish to preserve a greater QoL after treatment. In the future, when more data on the results and long-term prognosis of this treatment are accumulated, it may be possible to discuss its validity further.

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