Delhi hospital implants pace-maker in a centenarian

A 100-year-old woman recently got a new lease of life after being successfully implanted with pacemaker at a hospital here.

Phoolwati Gaharwar suffered from recurrent spells of unconsciousness following a fall from her bed.

Tests revealed that though there were no external injuries, her cardiac electrical system was affected.

According to doctors at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, her condition required an urgent implant of pacemaker for normal functioning of her heart.

However, her advanced age posed a challenge with doctors predicting only a 50 per cent chance for her surviving the surgical procedure.

The doctors decided to implant pacemaker and also indicated to the family members the challenges associated with patients at advanced ages.

"The decision to implant the pacemaker was imperative as she was suffering with recurrent unconscious spells. The fact that despite her age she had no co-morbidities to complicate her condition, further helped us," said Aparna Jaswal, Senior Consultant (Electrophysiology) Fortis Escorts.

"We implanted a single chamber pace-maker and she is back on her feet and fine," Jaswal added.

"We are very thankful to the doctors for allaying our fears about my grandmother's ability to withstand the surgery and for giving her a new lease of life," Nishant Gaharwar, the patient's grandson, noted.

--IANS

rt/gb/vt