Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy in patients aged 75 years or older – comparing the risk of complications with their younger counterparts

Background & aim More elderly patients are diagnosed with kidney tumors where partial nephrectomy is technically possible. We investigated whether patients ≥ 75 years old had an increased risk of complications following robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) compared to younger patients. Methods Retrospective, consecutive study including patients who underwent RAPN between May 2016 – April 2023. Preoperative data, operative data and complications within 90 days were recorded by patient record review. Complications were classified according to Clavien-Dindo (CD). Results 451 patients underwent RAPN and a postoperative complication was recorded in 131 (29%) patients of which 28 (6%) were CD ≥ III. Any postoperative complication was recorded in 24/113 patients (21%) < 55 years, 40/127 patients (31%) 55–64 years, 45/151 patients (42%) 65–74 years, and 22/60 patients (37%) ≥ 75 years. Comparable numbers for a CD ≥ III postoperative complication were 2/113 (2%) < 55 years, 6/127 (7%) 55–64 years, 12/151 (8%) 65–74 years, and 5/60 (8%) ≥ 75 years. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, patients ≥ 75 years had a non-significant increased risk of complications when controlling for preoperative variables (OR 1.82 [95% CI 0.80–4.13]) or perioperative variables (OR 1.98 [95% CI 0.86–4.58]) compared to patients < 55 years. Two patients died postoperatively. Both were ≥ 75 years (2/60, 3%). Discussion and conclusions Selected patients ≥ 75 years can undergo RAPN without a significantly increased risk of postoperative complications. However, a mortality rate of 3% in this age group indicates that these patients are frail when postoperative complications occur.