Bengaluru: Doctors of a city hospital have helped a 99-year-old Yemeni woman, afflicted by a knee ailment, walk normally and perform her usual chores after a gap of five years.
The patient, Syeda Ulfat Khan (name changed), was suffering from C shaped knees (severe valgus-bent knees) due to which she was on a wheelchair.
Her age was a major constraint, due to which her knees had become rigid and she was not in a position to move. Fortunately, apart from her knee problem, she was fit and healthy.
"For five years, I have battled with the knee problem. The pain was so unbearable that I would just sit in a corner and cry," said Syeda.
"Knee pain is one of the most common problems today across different age groups," said Dr Ravi Kelkar, Consultant-Orthopaedics at Columbia Asia Hospital Hebbal, who was treating Syeda.
Syeda underwent a complete check-up before the surgery and pre-surgical evaluations were done. She did not suffer from any comorbidities and cleared all her tests. Dr Kelkar and his team performed the minimally invasive surgery and she was able to walk the very next day.
Arthritis is a problem which can be treated at early stages by exercises, physiotherapy, and dietary supplements. But when the problem intensifies, knee replacement surgery is the only option. Today total knee replacement is one of the most successful orthopaedic surgeries for treatment of the knee problems, Dr Kelkar said.
After surgery Syeda is practicing some knee exercises at home. She is now able to walk on her own, enjoy outdoors and is no longer suffers from pain.
"Today, I find it hard to believe that I'm able to stand/walk on my own, without any support. I can independently do all my day to day activities without depending on anyone," Syeda said.
