Woman, 103, oldest person to have surgery at Belford
A 103-YEAR-OLD Fort William woman, born before the first shots were fired in the First World War, has become the oldest person to have a surgical operation at the town’s Belford Hospital.
Christine Hamill, known as ‘Chrissie’, who was born across Loch Linnhe at Camus na Gaul, on June 10, 1914, is also thought to be the oldest person in the country to have undergone a particular type of emergency abdominal surgery.
Following the procedure last month, Chrissie recuperated for a couple of weeks in one of the wards, before being discharged from the Belford.
She is now back at home, living independently in the Victoria Court sheltered residents’ complex in Fort William.
Nephew Stewart Maclean said: ‘Chrissie is absolutely delighted about the way that she been treated by staff at the Belford. Since she had the operation, she’s been recovering incredibly well.’
Chrissie’s operation is a good indicator that, as long as patients are in reasonably good health, there are no age limits for surgery nowadays.
Consultant surgeon Sivaraman Gurunathan-Mani added: ‘Chrissie needed to have an emergency abdominal operation because of an obstruction caused by a previous procedure she had more than 50 years ago.
‘She was in reasonably good health for her age, so it was a golden opportunity to help her, and that’s what we did. The operation took just over an hour, we got it done at the right time, and she has made a good recovery.’
In the past, doctors were often reluctant to operate on the elderly because age can contribute to significant surgical risks.
Physiological factors come into play as the body ages and – just as a 75-year-old would not be able to run as fast as when a 25-year-old – the body’s reserves diminish.
Fortunately, a patient’s physiological reserve ‘age’ can differ from his or her chronological age. This is especially true if, like Chrissie, they look after themselves, keep themselves trim, are able to comfortably climb up stairs, regularly walk 30 metres or more across level ground, engage in local events and family activities, and are still able to live reasonably independently.
Obviously, age is also not the sole limiting factor. Doctors also take into account the disease process, the prognosis with or without surgery, and the patient’s own understanding of the risks and benefits involved.
But, essentially, it comes down to recognising the different needs and risks of surgery for an increasingly common demographic group as more and more people now live longer.
Happily back in her home, Chrissie commented: ‘I am so grateful to Mr Gurunathan-Mani and his theatre staff for undertaking what, to me, considering my age, was obviously a risky procedure. The aftercare which I received in hospital is a credit to the nursing staff and the Belford Hospital.’
Although still living independently, Chrissie has family – a daughter-in-law and nephews – close by who visit regularly.
In the 1930s, Chrissie worked as a nanny in London for a number of years before returning to the Highlands to care for one of her relatives. She was married and had two children.