#Gloocal Communications| Nonagenarian gets back on his feet after hip replacement surgery

Nonagenarian gets back on his feet after hip replacement surgery

When 96-year-old Tribhovandas Udeshi, a Parel resident, fell at his home a few days ago and had a hip fracture, his son Suresh wondered if his father would ever walk again. The accident left the nonagenarian in excruciating pain. He was taken to various city hospitals and clinics where he was advised to undergo hip replacement surgery. However, none of the health care facilities Udeshi was taken to was ready to operate upon him because of the risk involved due to age factor.

• Parel resident Tribhovandas Udeshi, 96, with his son Suresh (extreme left) and Dr Hitesh Kubadia, who performed the surgery

When 96-year-old Tribhovandas Udeshi, a Parel resident, fell at his home a few days ago and had a hip fracture, his son Suresh wondered if his father would ever walk again. The accident left the nonagenarianin excruciating pain. He was taken to various city hospitals and clinics where he was advised to undergo hip replacement surgery. However, none of the health carefacilities Udeshi was taken to was ready to operate upon him because of the risk involved due to age factor.

After referring the case to many specialists in Mumbai, the Udeshi family finally met Dr Hitesh Kubadia, consultant orthopedic surgeon at Nova Specialty Group of Hospitals.

Dr Kubadia recommended full-replacement of the left hip through the minimally invasive procedure. "The minimally invasive hip replacement surgery involves replacing the ball of the femur that is worn from arthritis, degeneration or a serious fracture. Special bone cement is used to heal the fracture. Similarly, with minimally invasive hip replacement, there is less cut-through of tissues. It was not the case of making the 96-year-old mobile, but to allow him to live an independent life," explained Dr Kubadia.

"Major complications do arise as you age. Thus, our effort was to optimise the patient and then go ahead with the surgery. In case of Udeshi, we had to conduct physical investigations for almost two days before deciding on the surgery. A special team of doctors was frequently monitoring his health," Dr Kubadia added.

"My father had always lived an active life until that fall, which not only broke his bone but also broke our heart that the fracture will leave him bedridden. But a few days after the surgery, he has started to walk with the help of a walker. Eventually, we are hopeful of getting him back to his usual self," said Suresh.

Udeshi has made a full recovery, said Dr Kubadia. "The surgery has always given 100 per cent result. Although Udeshi is currently walking with the help of a walker, he is confident enough that he can walk independently," he added.

Doctors say hip fractures in the elderly are critical ailments with possible life-endangering complications. Surgeries to fix breaks are common and effective, while healing can take an entire year. Once a senior citizen gets a broken hip, their health can take a downward spiral as the break can trigger other problems and affect their immune system. By 90 years of age, one in four women and one in eight men have get their hips fractured.