101-Year-Old Woman Gets Knee Replacement Surgery

Naomi Wilde is 101 years old and is, unofficially, the oldest individual in the world to have received a total knee replacement. The title is unofficial because the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons does not maintain a demographic data clearing house for large joint surgeries (although PearlDiver does). But Naomi’s doctor, Gregory Hicken, M.D., of the Franklin County (Idaho) Medical Center, believes she is deserving of the title.

Wilde’s troubles began when her sore knee caused her to fall, breaking her hip. Doctors replaced the broken hip but her deteriorating knee slowed the healing of the hip. “We had done all the conservative things—the injections, the physical therapy, the anti-inflammatories, ” said Hicken, “but she couldn’t recover because the knee was so bad.”

Taking in to account the fact that Wilde’s body was comparable to those of most 70 year olds, her doctors concluded that she was strong enough to withstand the surgery and that the surgery would be of benefit to her. “It was either lay here till I died, or take a chance with it, ” said Wilde, “so I had nothing to lose.”

Wilde has healed well, said Hicken, who says that Wilde is glad she went ahead with the knee replacement. She is now walking with the use of a walker and is moving to an assisted living center in Pocatello.