Outcomes of percutaneous nephrolithotomy in elderly versus young patients under regional anesthesia: A comparative study

INTRODUCTION: Surgical management of elderly patients with renal calculi is inherently challenging. We compared the efficacy and safety of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) performed under regional anesthesia between elderly patients (age >65 years) and patients aged <65 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between July 2015 and June 2016, fifty patients aged >65 years with renal stones (size >1.5 cm) were treated with PCNL under regional anesthesia (elderly group). We retrospectively compared the outcomes with those obtained in an equal number of patients aged <65 years (younger group) who underwent PCNL under regional anesthesia. Patients with staghorn stones and pyonephrosis and falling under the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Grade IV were excluded. Data pertaining to demographic characteristics, body mass index, stone bulk, operative time, tract size, number of tracts required, blood loss, clearance rates, complications, and length of hospital stay were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age at presentation in the elderly and younger groups was 66.8 ± 2.1 years and 38.7 ± 11 years, respectively; 56% of the patients in the elderly age group had ASA Grade II, whereas 58% in the younger age group had ASA Grade I. The mean stone size and the number of tracts were comparable in both the groups, whereas operative time was slightly longer in the elderly group (58.54 ± 18 vs. 51.98 ± 18 min; P < 0.05). Postoperative complications and stone-free rates (94% vs. 92%, respectively) were comparable in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Age itself should not deter the treatment of elderly patients with renal stones as PCNL under regional anesthesia is safe and effective in elderly patients; outcomes in elderly and younger patients were comparable in this study.