Octagenarian undergoes successful total knee replacement surgery

The case serves as the perfect example of age not being an inhibiting factor to opt for TKR, said doctors at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, on World Arthritis Day, observed every year on October 12.

The now octagenarian patient had refused surgery about nine years ago, citing his advanced age and the fact that he may not live long. But after being bedridden for over a year, he finally opted for the procedure.

A team of doctors diagnosed the patient with advanced osteoarthritis with extreme varus deformity -- a condition in which the bone segment distal to a joint is angled inward, away from the body's midline. After the tests and all medical clearances, the team performed Bilateral Knee Surgery.

"The post-operation period was uneventful and now after almost a month, the patient is walking on his own, without any support and happily following his daily routine," said Dr Palash Gupta, Director & Coordinator, Department of Orthopaedics & Knee Replacement, at Max, in a statement TKR is mostly recommended for patients suffering from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, gouty arthritis, or those who have pain in the deformed knee.

Causes of osteoarthritis can include old age, obesity, previous traumatic joint injury/overuse of joints, and joint deformity. Symptoms may differ from patient to patient but include pain in and around the joint, stiffness, difficulty in squatting and sitting crossed leg, difficulty in negotiating stairs, deformities of the joint, and inability to walk for long distances, joint swelling as well as decreased movement of the joint.

"One's quality of life shouldn't be compromised based on advanced age and should not be the reason to refuse knee replacement. People are reluctant to go in for a total knee replacement surgery citing their age as a reason. They feel they are either too young or too old for this surgery. This should not be the reason to come to terms with the condition which can gradually become a liability for family and their caregivers," Gupta said.