Mumbai: Woman suffers severe hip fracture; doctors help her walk again

A simple fall inside her home changed everything for a 69yearold woman While it initally appeared to be a routine household accident it soon turned into a medical emergency when she found herself unable to stand or bear weight on her right leg Doctors in Thane came to her rescue to help her walk again while dealing with their complex medical historyThe pain was excruciating and even the slightest movement became impossible For the family the concern extended far beyond the fracture itselfThe woman was diabetic hypertensive and had a long history of serious heart disease Over the years she had undergone three separate coronary angioplasty procedures and was living with nine stents in her heart Any major surgery carried significant riskInvestigations revealed a comminuted displaced intertrochanteric fracture of the femur mdash a severe type of hip fracture commonly seen in elderly individuals after a fall In such injuries the bone breaks into multiple fragments making treatment considerably more challengingThe situation was further complicated by severe osteoporosis which had weakened the bone quality substantiallyFor many elderly patients a fracture of this nature can be lifealteringWithout timely surgical intervention prolonged bed rest often becomes unavoidable Doctors say extended immobility can trigger a cascade of complications including lung infections blood clots urinary tract infections bed sores muscle wasting and loss of independence In older adults with multiple medical conditions these complications can sometimes prove more dangerous than the fracture itselfThe patients condition required a careful balancing act While surgery was necessary to restore mobility her cardiac history meant that the procedure itself carried considerable riskShe underwent extensive evaluation by cardiologists diabetologists anaesthetists and critical care specialists before a treatment plan could be finalisedThe case was managed by Dr Sanjeev Jain chief of Orthopaedics HOD amp Joint Replacement Surgeon at KIMS Hospitals in ThaneThese fractures are among the most challenging injuries we encounter in elderly patients The fracture pattern was highly unstable the bone quality was poor because of osteoporosis and the patient had significant medical comorbidities The objective was not merely to fix the fracture but to choose a treatment that would allow immediate mobilisation while maintaining the highest level of safety said Dr JainAfter detailed planning the team decided to perform a hip replacement procedure rather than conventional fixationAccording to Dr Jain the decision was influenced by the extent of bone damage and the patients overall conditionIn patients with severe osteoporosis and extensive fracture comminution conventional fixation may not always provide the stability required for early weightbearing We opted for a specialised uncemented longstem hip replacement designed to achieve stable fixation and facilitate early rehabilitation he explainedThe surgery was successfully completed using a specialised long diaphysealfit stem along with a bigger size femoral head construct to minimise the risk of postoperative hip instabilityGiven her extensive cardiac history the patient was closely monitored in the intensive care unit for the first 24 hours after surgeryThe outcome was encouraging Within a day of the operation she was able to stand and walk with full weightbearing support Three days later she was discharged from the hospitalToday she has regained mobility and continues to recover well Dr Jain believes that timely surgery and early mobilisation remain critical in such casesThe biggest mistake is assuming that elderly patients with multiple health problems should avoid surgery at all costs In many cases the real danger lies in keeping them bedridden for weeks The focus should be on selecting the right procedure ensuring meticulous planning and providing comprehensive multidisciplinary support so that patients can return to mobility as early as possible he saidThe case highlights an increasingly important challenge in ageing populations where seemingly minor falls can result in devastating fractures with potentially lifechanging consequences Specialists advise senior citizens and their families not to ignore persistent hip pain inability to walk after a fall or sudden loss of mobility as early intervention often plays a crucial role in recoveryFor this 69yearold woman a fall that could have led to permanent dependence instead became the beginning of recovery mdash one step at a time