Report on: “Urologica] surgery in elderly patients: Age or biological limits?”. Introduction

Abstract

The request for surgery for the elderly is increasing from year to year. In fact a longer average age has brought about the necessity to study the physiology of the ageing process. Increasing knowledge has led to a deeper understanding of geriatric physiopathology, so that 65 years is no longer considered the age limit to define a person “elderly”. On the other hand the elderly no longer accept being marginalized due to their infermity. On the contrary they ask for the same therapeutical measures which are used for younger people.