title: Does age affect outcomes of percutaneous nephrolithotomy?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed 50 PCNLs performed in the elderly patients (age > 65 years) carried out in our clinic from 2001 through 2007 and compared those with 248 PCNLs performed in younger patients (age < 40 years) during the same period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was seen in calculus burden between the two groups. The success rates (stone-free patients and patients with residual calculi < 4 mm) were 85% for the elderly patients and 90% for the younger patients (P = .45). The major composition of calculi was calcium oxalate in 58% and 66.5% of the elderly and younger groups, respectively. No significant complication was observed in the elderly group. Fever without sign and symptoms of bacteremia was seen in 3 patients of each group (8.0% versus 1.2%, P = .004). The operative time was 75.0 +/- 6.4 minutes and 76.0 +/- 5.1 minutes (P = .25), and the mean hospital stay was 3.7 +/- 0.3 days and 3.8 +/- 0.9 days (P = .80) in the elderly and younger patients, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that PCNL in patients over 65 years was a safe and reliable technique with a stone-free rate of 85% for all types of calculi. Well-controlled comorbidities do not increase the risk of operation. It seems that despite the higher medical risk in the elderly patients, PCNL could be safe and yields a high stone-free rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Shohada-e-Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karami
authors.forename: Mohammad Mohsen
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mazloomfard
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Golshan
authors.forename: Taban
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rahjoo
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Javanmard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009403:Nephrostomy, Percutaneous; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome