Chennai’s Grand Old Mom Gets Steel Shoulder at 103.

103 year old Ms Godavari, a retired senior officer of the Southern Railways in Chennai could be the oldest woman in India to successfully undergo a shoulder surgery. She has now recovered fully. 

 

“Her shoulder bones broke into pieces after she fell from her cot” says Dr Krishnan at SRM Memorial Hospital, where the “high risk surgery” was performed in October. 

 

The only solution was to surgically fix the fractured bone with a plate and screws and after the family’s consent the surgeon Dr Manikantan completed the procedure in 40 minutes. 

 

“Godavari’s children, my old patients, trusted us as without a surgery her quality of life would suffer” explains Dr Krishnan. 

 

General Anasthesia was ruled out considering her age and the Anesthesist Dr Radha gave interscalene block so the area would turn numb during the procedure”.

 

She was discharged after 5 days and 10 days later the grand old mom returned to remove her sutures.

 

A mother of three children, Godavari’s 72 year old middle son Mr. C. Subramaniam who takes care of her says  “My father was a school teacher. Both have done their duties in educating all of us so well. Now it’s our turn to repay her.”

 

Mr. C. Subramaniam narrates “My mother unfortunately has suffered several such fractures falling down. She has had a fracture in every part of her legs and hands. But she would never complain.”

 

Though the elderly mother had age related heart and blood pressure issues, Dr Krishnan says “She exhibited amazing recovery and will power like a youngster.”