PROSTATECTOMY FOR PATIENTS OVER 80 YEARS OF AGE IN SAUDI-ARABIA

The proportion of elderly Saudis is increasing so that whether prostat ectomy of symptomatic benign prostate hyperplasia is suitable in this age group or not becomes a critical issue. A total of 179 patients who had symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia and required prostatecto my were reviewed retrospectively. Twenty-seven were aged 80 years or o lder (range 80-105; mean 86.2) and 152 were relatively younger. Of the 27 very elderly patients 25 (96.6%) were assessed as American Society of Anesthesiologists Classes 1 to 4 as were all the 152 under 80 year s of age. Both groups were otherwise comparable in terms of presenting clinical problems, and 177 underwent prostatectomy. Postoperative com plications involving the urinary tract as well as the outcome of prost atectomy were comparable in both age groups. There was no perioperativ e mortality. The age factor per se was not a clinically relevant risk factor for prostatectomy in patients over 80 years of age.