Elderly woman undergoes kneecap surgery, but the cast remains in place beyond the time limit: Borrelli (Avs) reports.

The patient, an elderly widow living in Pozzuoli, suffered a fall at home in January, resulting in a compound fracture of her right patella. Admitted to the orthopedic department of Santa Maria delle Grazie Hospital, she underwent reduction and osteosynthesis surgery on January 30th, with a successful outcome.

Upon discharge, the doctors prescribed immobilization with a femoro-podalic cast and clearly indicated that the immobilization should be removed within approximately 30 days, with a subsequent orthopedic check-up.

An “odyssey” to remove the cast

According to her daughter, however, the procedure has become a real obstacle course. The family has a priority referral and a specific prescription for the cast removal, but at the CUP they receive unexpected news.

"When we go to the CUP, they tell us the earliest available date is June," her daughter explains. "It's been over 40 days since the surgery, and my mother is still immobile. She has pain and problems with her leg, and no one seems to care. They send us back and forth without a solution."

The family states that they cannot afford a private visit and claims that they have tried several times to raise the situation with the orthopedic doctors, without receiving any response.

Borrelli: "It's unacceptable to wait months for an urgent service."

Avs MP Francesco Emilio Borrelli intervened in the matter, taking up the woman's daughter's complaint. "It's unacceptable," he said, "that a patient undergoing surgery must wait months for a procedure that the doctors themselves indicate is needed within 30 days."

"We will immediately seek clarification from the local health authority and the health department to ensure the cast is removed promptly and the appropriate treatment plan is implemented," Borrelli concluded, emphasizing the gravity of a situation that puts an elderly person's health and well-being at risk.