Hip Replacement – War Hero Boasts Record Breaking Hip
Replacement
A war hero with a hip replacement found himself in the
record books recently when it transpired that he had the procedure
done over 60 years ago following WWII, making his hip replacement
the oldest working one out there.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, World War II hero,
William Jefferies, has an unusual record to his name; namely, the
fact it is believed that he has the oldest working hip replacement
in the world. The war veteran required the hip replacement when he
was shot by a Japanese sniper in Burma, which shattered his left
leg and led to his world record hip replacement.
Hip Replacement – Still Going Strong
Modern hip replacements tend to last around 15 to 20 years
before they may need revising but according to the report in the
Daily Mail, war veteran, William Jeffries’ hip replacement has
lasted considerably longer than this as the procedure was conducted
over 60 years ago in 1947. The actual process of carrying out hip
replacements was in its infancy at this time which makes the fact
that William Jeffries’ hip replacement has lasted so long all the
more surprising. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Mr Jeffries talks of
how the surgeons were more interested in the hip replacement
operation than he was as it was such a fledging procedure and the
war veteran states, “I just went into surgery and didn't really
think about it. But everyone was very interested, because it was a
one-off thing. It was revolutionary at that time.”
Hip Replacement – War Wounds
The extent of the injuries suffered by war hero, William
Jeffries, and the fact that hip replacement operations were so rare
at the time make the fact that his has lasted 60 years utterly
astounding. Mr Jeffries was shot in the jungles of Burma by a
Japanese sniper and had to be dragged to safety by his comrades.
The gunshot shattered his leg and led to his need for the
pioneering hip replacement operation. The World War II veteran
wasn’t initially enthralled with the idea and stated to the Daily
Mail, “It was a bit of a shock when they told me I was having a new
hip because I'd never heard of it before. They had to do something
because I hadn't got out of bed for two years and thought I was
never going to walk again.” The hip replacement that Mr Jeffries
received back in 1947 makes his some 22 years older than the other
purported oldest working hip replacement belonging to French woman,
Marie-Ange Quillon, who received hers in 1967.