97 years is such an age when the feet hang in the grave. The elderly cannot walk and there is no hope of their survival. At this age, it is very difficult to give them medicines, let alone surgery, but the doctors of Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj, Delhi have done a miracle by doing knee replacement surgery on a woman at the age of 97. With this, this woman has become the oldest Indian to get her knee replaced.

Let us tell you that 97-year-old patient Resham Devi, who was suffering from severe osteoarthritis, has been living independently in an ashram in Vrindavan for the last 30 years. Last year she fell due to which she suffered a fracture and dislocation of the bone in her left hip. Initially, she was given normal treatment considering her weak health, but due to a lack of flexibility in the hip and advanced osteoarthritis in both knees, she had serious difficulty in walking. Therefore, on the advice of doctors, Resham Devi decided to get both knees replaced.

At the time of hospitalization, the woman had difficulty walking and complained of severe pain in both knees and left hip. For more than six months, she underwent physiotherapy and pre-surgery preparations, which included injections of teriparatide, calcium, and vitamin D supplements to strengthen her bones. Despite this, she was having difficulty in daily activities and was dependent on others.

Considering her age and the complexity of her illness, Dr Dhananjay Gupta, Director, of Orthopaedics, Replacement and Reconstruction, Fortis Vasant Kunj Hospital, and his team initially recommended one knee replacement followed by the other knee replacement after three months. However, the woman expressed her wish to undergo both knee replacement surgeries simultaneously. After blood, liver, kidney, and heart tests and anesthesia, both her knees were operated upon simultaneously. After first performing the left knee replacement surgery and then the right knee replacement surgery, she was kept in the ICU overnight. The next day, she was ready to move around with the help of a walker, indicating a successful surgery.

Regarding this, Dr. Dhananjay Gupta said, this was a very challenging case. Because the patient was very old. If this surgery had been delayed, she would have had severely limited mobility problems. Problems in mobility in elderly patients are highly associated with an increased risk of anxiety, depression, and a general decline in health. Physical mobility is important for the elderly as it helps maintain the health of bones and muscles as well as the heart and respiratory system. At the same time, Dr. Gurvinder Kaur, Facility Director, Fortis said that Resham Devi's story is inspiring, which shows that age should not be a barrier to getting treatment.