Next week six-month-old Elken Mynhardt, will be fitted with his first prosthetic leg providing that his wound has healed successfully after part of his right leg was amputated.
Last Tuesday Elken had to undergo surgery during which part of his right leg was amputated. The surgery was performed by Polokwane orthopaedic surgeon, Iwan Scott.
Elken was born with a condition known as fibular hemimelia, a birth defect where part or all of the fibular bone in one or both legs is missing. This is associated with limb length discrepancy as well as foot and knee deformities. Elken’s right leg was affected; with the fibular not having developed properly, his right leg was a lot shorter than his left. He also had only three toes on his right foot.
Elken’s mother, Sumé Potgieter (20) told Polokwane Observer that even though she had gone for a scan during her pregnancy, Elken’s deformity did not show up. “We only found out about his condition when he was born,” she said. When the doctor explained what was wrong with Elken’s right leg, he also mentioned that this was the same condition Oscar Pistorius, SA sprint runner, was born with. “I nearly died of fright!” exclaimed Potgieter.
And so followed months of research, consultation with other medical practitioners and another specialist, and a lot of agonising for the two young parents.
Potgieter said that they basically had two options. “One option was to allow Elken to have an operation every year in order to build up his leg and ankle, but this operation only has a 10% success rate.
“We decided that amputation, which was the other option, was the best option for Elken, especially before he starts learning to crawl and walk. This way, he will be able to learn to walk with a prosthesis, and it will seem natural to him.”
Scott confirmed the two choices and that the option they decided on was preferable. “He will be able to adapt early in life.” He explained that no one knows what the reason for this condition, and it is a gene mutation. “This condition only occurs in one in every 40 000 births.” Scott said Elken’s wound should be healed next week, and if so, arrangements will be made for him to be fitted with his first prosthesis.
Elken’s father, Charl Mynhardt, said on the day of the surgery his nerves were on edge. “But when they let us know he had come through the surgery successfully, and I saw Elken for myself, an enormous feeling of relief flooded me,” he said.
Both parents said they are very grateful that Elken recovered quickly from the surgery and he is a bouncy, happy baby. “We would also like to thank everyone who has been there for us, be it financial or moral support,” Potgieter said.
The road ahead for this young family is going to be paved with many challenges, one of them being financial. “As he grows, Elken will have to be fitted with a new prosthesis every year, which at the moment costs a minimum of R5 000 per time,” Potgieter said.
In the hope that they will receive assistance, a fund raising project for Elken has been registered at GoGetFunding.com.
Anyone who would like to assist with a donation can go to https://gogetfunding.com/elken-medical/ or contact Mynhardt on 064 685 2542.
Story & photo: KAREN VENTER
>>karen@observer.co.za
