85-year-old Mumbai Woman Walks Same Day after Surgery for Hip Fracture

MUMBAI: An 85-year-old woman from Mumbai, Zoreida Basrai, suffered a hip fracture at home when she slipped and fell. She was rushed to Breach Candy Hospital where she underwent a complex hip surgery. The patient stunned everyone by taking her first steps just a few hours later. She avoided ICU stay and went home walking within 5 days — an outcome truly rare at her age.

Dr. Amyn Rajani, Arthroscopy & Joint Replacement Surgeon at Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai, led the team that operated upon patient Zoreida Basrai. He said: "The patient had suffered a hip fracture, with the main bone of her hip joint breaking after the fall. This is common in elderly patients because bones become weaker with age (osteoporosis). If untreated, she would have been bedridden, which in this age group can lead to complications such as pneumonia, blood clots, bed sores, and loss of independence."

He added: “After the fall, she was unable to stand, walk, or bear weight on her leg due to severe pain, which brought her to the hospital. In elderly hip fractures, surgery should ideally be done within 24–48 hours to give the best chance of recovery and survival. The surgery was a hip hemiarthroplasty, which means we replaced the broken part of the hip with an artificial implant. What makes this case remarkable is that the patient did not require an ICU stay, and despite being 85, she was able to stand and walk with a walker on the same evening after surgery. Even more inspiring, she was discharged home within five days, walking independently.”

Patient Zoreida Basrai will need a few weeks of physiotherapy and gentle exercises to strengthen her muscles and balance. She needs to avoid falls, maintain good nutrition, and continue bone-health medications. With these, she can lead a normal, independent life, according to the doctor.

Said Dr. Amyn Rajani: “Elderly patients carry high risk during surgery due to weak bones, fragile health, and chances of complications during anaesthesia. Early surgery and mobilization are critical. This case is a great example of how advanced surgical techniques and coordinated post-operative care can transform outcomes, even at 85, with the patients recovering quickly, avoiding prolonged ICU or hospital stays, and returning to their families walking.”

Said the patient Zoreida Basrai: “I never imagined I would be able to stand and walk again so soon after my fall. The doctors and nurses gave me the confidence and strength to try, and I am grateful for their care. At my age, this feels nothing short of a miracle.”

Hip fractures are common in the elderly. Worldwide, millions of people above 65 suffer this injury each year. It is one of the leading causes of disability and even mortality in older patients. Globally, hip fractures in the elderly carry a one-year mortality rate as high as 20 to 30 percent. Many patients never regain their independence

For the surgery, Dr. Amyn Rajani was assisted by Dr. Vishal Kulkarni, the anesthetist team of Dr. Devanshu Desai and Dr. Ameeta Sippy, and physician Dr. Gaurav Gupta, along with OT staff and nurses at Breach Candy Hospital.