World record at 93 for knee surgery

He is 93 and going to enter his name in the Limca Book of World Records.

S N Bhatt, a retired principal of a degree college and a hockey player in young age, has become the oldest person on the globe to have undergone total knee replacement for both his knees.

His wife Vijay Laxmi Bhatt, 86, has gone through the same surgery. The couple has become one of the rare cases in India.

“The couple has led a healthy life. Thus, problems related to arthritis started late for them. We finally conducted the surgery as they had the courage to go through it at this age,” said Dr Raju Vaishya, who conducted the surgery on the couple.

Total knee replacement surgery is rare in elderly patients, due to various medical problems which develop at that age.

Replacement of both the knees in a single sitting is rarer, added Vaishya, senior orthopaedic consultant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.

The surgery was performed on S N Bhatt in August 2011. He had no major illnesses, except mild hypertension.

Leading an active life as a hockey player, having played alongside Dhyan Chand, and being a horse-rider, he has been successful in keeping many lifestyle diseases at bay.

He started walking after four days of surgery and was discharged after six days, said the surgeon.  
Despite having ischemic heart disease, the surgery was successful on Vijay Laxmi. She was operated in November 2011.

Three months later, she can now walk normally and carry out her daily chores with ease. Joint replacements and new experiments in the field are becoming common.

At an international symposium on ‘Advances in joint replacement surgery’, experts shared their experiences.

 The scenario is changing and more elderly people are opting for surgery, he added.
He said over 30,000 knee emplacements are being done in India annually.