104-year-old operated on successfully

In a veritable medical miracle, a 104-year-old man successfully underwent spinal surgery within weeks of recovering from a heart operation, his doctors said here Friday.

"While the spine procedure in itself was simple, there were multiple risks considering the age of the patient and the prior medical history," said Sandeep Vaishya, additional director, neurology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon.

"We had to weigh the patient's heart strength including possible risks of a stroke and complications arising from the stent inserted during a prior angioplasty," said Vaishya, who led a team of doctors in performing the surgery to treat disc prolapse on the 104-year-old.

The patient, Ujjain-based Guru Mouni Baba, said: "I went to around 25 hospitals in different cities in India and abroad but I was not confident. The doctors here assured me that I will recover comfortably." - IANS