Timely and Appropriate Care Key to Successful Elderly Injury Treatment

Severe injuries in the elderly cannot be ignored as they pose serious risks. Therefore, timely and appropriate treatment is key to successful recovery from such injuries. Orthopaedic specialist at Sunway Medical Centre (SMC), Sunway City, Kuala Lumpur, Jeffrey Jaya Raj, stated that delayed or inappropriate intervention could lead to complications in elderly patients with injuries. “Early intervention is crucial. If surgery is delayed, the patient may lose the ability to walk, triggering further complications,” Dr Jeffrey said in a statement regarding the treatment of a neck of femur fracture — a serious hip injury — in a 102-year-old elderly patient. He was treated by a multidisciplinary team of geriatric, anaesthesia, and medical rehabilitation specialists. According to the medical team, prompt surgery is vital to enable the patient to regain mobility and avoid serious complications from prolonged bed rest. The patient, affectionately called Popo, was known as an active middle-aged woman who independently managed daily activities and even assisted her family business. She was rushed to the emergency department after a fall resulted in a severe hip injury, common among the elderly due to brittle bones. “Such injuries in older age often mark the beginning of a rapid decline in physical condition,” Jeffrey noted. The case was managed through the Fracture Liaison Service (FLS), a multidisciplinary care system for elderly fracture patients at Sunway Medical Centre. This service accelerates coordinated medical evaluation and treatment. Within 24 hours of admission, Popo underwent a bipolar hemiarthroplasty procedure — a partial hip replacement designed to minimise surgical time and reduce physical strain on elderly patients. The operation used regional and spinal anaesthesia instead of general anaesthesia to lower complication risks and was completed in approximately one hour. Recovery was swift: within 48 hours post-surgery, she was standing and walking with rehabilitation team assistance. At 102, Popo is recorded as the oldest patient to undergo surgery at SMC and is believed to be one of the oldest hip surgery patients in Southeast Asia. Jeffrey emphasised that recovery success depends not only on surgery but also strong family support. During her recovery, Popo was accompanied by family members who provided constant encouragement. “If I can still walk, I want to do it,” Popo told her family. (H-3)