Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2003 , Vol 6, Issue 2
PERCUTANEOUS NEPHROLITHOTOMY IN PATIENTS AGED 60 YEARS AND OLDER
Mustafa SOFİKERİM, Bülent AKDOĞAN, Cem AKBAL, Ahmet Rıza TAFTACHİ, Fuat GULİYEV, Ahmet ŞAHİN, Sezer KENDİ
Hacettepe Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Üroloji Anabilim Dalı, Dr., Ankara
Hacettepe Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Üroloji Anabilim Dalı, Prof. Dr., Ankara
In this study our aim is to evaluate the success of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) performed in patients aged 60 years and older. Retrospective review of 97 PNL procedures performed on 50 female and 42 male patients aged 60 years and older (mean 64,8) was compared with the data of the remaining 595 PNL procedures performed on younger patients in our clinic between December 1997- October 2002. The presence of complete staghorn calculi (17/97, 18 % v 105/595, 18 %; p= 0.577) and average stone size (623 mm2 versus 739 mm2, p > 0.05) were similar for two groups. Transfusion was necessary in 19 of 97 renal units (20 %) of older patients, and in 118 of 595 renalunit (20 %) of younger patients (p= 0.955). However the presence of solitary functioning kidney seem to be higher in the elderly group (10 % v 7 %), there was no statistical difference between two groups (p= 0,841). The success rates (stone-free patients and patients with residual stones< 4 mm) were similar, being 95 % for the elderly group and 96 % for the younger patients (p>0.05). No significant complication was observed in this elderly group. The stone-free rate in the elderly group was similar to that obtained in the younger patients, without any higher rates of complications or blood transfusions. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is a safe and effective method of stone treatment in the elderly, even if they have a solitary kidney or complex calculi. Keywords : Kidney calculi, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, lithotripsy, staghorn calculi, residual stone