90 years old grandmother should get hip replacement or not...

Hi Naah,

I think there may be a range of views on this.

This is a tough one for me. Clearly something is needed to reduce/eliminate your grandmother's pain. Did the surgeon offer any other options. My hesitation is because, this a tough operation from which to recover - esp if your grandmother is not abe to do the exercises to strengthen her muscles and other connective tissues and to minimize post surgical swelling and cramping. You might Google total hip replacement for video clips of the operation to understand how traumatic it is. If quesy, watch the animated version.

I wish I had clear advice for you but all I think we can do, is to give you as much information as we can to make an informed decision.

I honestly don't know what I would do in your place.

Sending big hugs as you wrestle with this decision.

L

My father broke his hip when he was 90. We thought he would never walk again, but he stayed a week or so in hospital and then carried on as before as if nothing had happened, he had been using a walker before he broke his hip and carried on with it. We were all amazed how well it went. He had to have a general anaesthetic as it was a particularly nasty break. Some old lady of 112 had a new hip last year. 

        

if she doesn't I feel her health with deteriorate.  If she was walking and getting around good and healthy.   Yes . I went thru a back surgery with a 80 year old . He yard sales and complains . So he's good 

Yes yes YES!!! Her pain would be reduced and she'd have much more of a quality of life and needn't be bedridden st all with support and love.DO IT!!!! Good luck.x

Dear Nahh,

Your grandmother is a remarkable woman. If you decide on surgery for her, you should weigh the positive outcomes and the negative. Too often older adults are not given full medical considerations because they are old. Blood loss can be significant with hip replacement surgery. Make sure she has access to her type of blood should you opt for surgery. She may require transfusions. Does she want the surgery? Recovery risks from any surgery increase exponentially the older one is. It sounds like her health, besides her mobility issues, is remarkable for her age. Osteoporosis means her bones are brittle and more susseptable to fracture than what is normal for a 90 year old adult female without osteoporosis.

You have a big decision to make. I am 73 and had major complications with my surgery. Major blood loss, and my surgeon damaged my femoral nerve. This means, for me, I am partially paralyzed for life. So research the surgeon who would operate on your grandmother. My surgeon has made many mistakes I discovered after my surgery. Too late! Do your homework, Nahh. Then decide what is best for your grandmother.

All the very best.

 

What a nightmare for you.

Will the surgery help - probably, but the risk of complications are much higher, osteoporosis in itself adds to the risks, the insert the put in you femur has to be hammered into that bone, if she has advanced osteoporosis the possibility of that bone breaking only adds to the possible complications.

How are her lungs and heart, general antheestic is going clog up her lungs, and her ability to be active and clear those lungs afterwards, its not just sitting up in bed after a hip replacement, you have to move around, on you feet, and get your blood circulating in you legs, otherwise you are going to develop clots and massive swelling, and that alone can kill you.

In australia where I am, even here they don't do hip replacements on 90 yr olds with osteoporosis, they just make them comfortable and let nature take its course, lack of movement, fluid on lungs, development of puenomia, non treament with anti-biotics, Dr once told me there's a lot worse ways to die, I agree with his statement, I watched my Mum die, Dad's was a lot more gentle with puenomia, he just drifted off, he was aware of what was happening, and of course thats the end I'm afraid.