Dorothy gets back on her feet after being one of the oldest knee operation patients in the country.

Posted Monday, October 15, 2018 2:45 PM

Dorothy gets back on her feet after being one of the oldest knee operation patients in the country.

A Mansfield patient is thought to be one of the oldest knee replacement patients in the country after undergoing a successful knee replacement operation at the age of 100.

Inspirational Sherwood Forest Hospitals patient, Dorothy Crawthorne, 100, from the Mansfield area is nearly 101 and has undergone two knee replacement surgeries, with the latest operation taking place on her right knee, after having her first knee replaced at the age of 98.

Dorothy now aims to be able to walk independently again in the next few months and told Sherwood Forest Hospitals that she still does all her own housework and doesn’t need any help because she doesn’t feel ‘old’ at all. She said: “I couldn’t get around at all by myself before, but now that I have had the operations it has made me feel more confident and steady on my feet.”

Dorothy uses a mobility scooter to get about on, but her main aim is to get across to the shops opposite her house without it. She said: “I do walk about a lot in the house, so I’m grateful to the hospital for what they have done, I was unsure on my feet before the operation and I didn’t feel safe walking, but I even managed to walk down to the ambulance myself to get to my hospital appointment. I think I surprised the drivers who had come to pick me up!”

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr Badhe, said: “I am pleased to say that Dorothy is recovering well after a real team effort to get her back on her feet. The physiotherapy team has been excellent along with the nursing staff who cared for her whilst she was on the ward. Thanks to their help and dedication Dorothy was able to go home just two days after her operation.  

“It is brilliant that we have been able to improve her quality of life by carrying out her knee operations. After weighing up the risks and benefits for Dorothy, we decided that the surgery was possible, as she is in such good health and clearly relies on her mobility.

“I hope that the knee replacement we have done will give Dorothy a new lease of life and will allow her to live independently again.”

Dorothy added: “They have done a really good job at the hospital and I feel much better now and I am not in pain.” Dorothy thinks her active lifestyle as a child may have contributed to keeping her healthy in her old age, as she used to walk three miles to school there and back every day and she has always been very healthy.

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