City doctors have given a new lease of life to a 100-year-old woman, G Annapoorni, who fractured her hip owing to a fall. Suffering from osteoporosis for over 15 years, she uses a computer chair with wheels at home. Doctors said they performed a complex but minimally invasive proximal femoral nail (PFN) procedure to fix her hip.
A PFN is an intramedullary device that uses a spiral blade instead of a conventional screw to obtain fixation in the femoral head. Dr Nikhil Iyer, knee-shoulder and joint replacement surgeon at Zen Multi Specialty Hospital, said Annapoorni was on regular blood thinners for many years which was stopped for four to five days to prepare for surgery. After the surgery, though, she had symptoms of cardiac failure, probably due to advanced age and surgical stress, which were managed by the anaesthesiologist and cardiologist.
Dr Iyer said the blade was hammered to compress Annapoorni’s osteoporotic bone for a better hold. “The 45-minute procedure consists of just two to three one-inch incisions. This surgery helps patients recover faster and reduces hospital stay,” he said, adding that she has recovered well and was discharged four days after the surgery. “All her skin staples have been removed and she is comfortably doing physiotherapy,” he said.
Dr Iyer said it is wise for elderly patients to carry walking sticks and not feel shy. “It is also very helpful to have hand railings at critical places in the house. Regular check-ups to know the status of bone health and osteoporosis definitely helps,” he added.
Annapoorni told FPJ, “I was unable to even move due to the hip fracture and was in intense pain. I required assistance of my family members for all my daily activities. But after treatment a Zen Hospital, I am slowly recovering.”
