Children's Hospital Colorado — Shine

A Fairy Tale Ending Like many 12-year-old girls, Nayeli Lynch-Bolanos dances, swims, hikes and rides her bicycle. She loves wearing pretty shoes and plans to take up in-line skating. Until recently, none of these activities was a possibility for Nayeli. B ecause she was born with malformations in her hips and legs — abnormal development of both hips with right hip dislocation, as well as irregular leg growth and differences in leg length — Nayeli had difficulty walking and was in pain much of the time. Her lower extremity abnormalities changed greatly from the time of birth, resulting in several surgical procedures as she grew. None provided a permanent cure. By the time she was 11, Nayeli was understandably frustrated. She and her family reviewed her treatment options with her team at Children's Hospital Colorado and ultimately decided on an amputation of her right foot, along with other procedures to straighten her leg. Though she would be losing a foot, she would be gaining the freedom to move more independently and with less pain, thanks to the use of a right foot prosthesis. A CHILD'S CHOICE "A child patient, such as Nayeli, is very much involved in care decisions at Children's Colorado," said Travis Heare, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon at Children's Colorado, who performed Nayeli's surgery. "At our multidisciplinary clinic, we take children to see the prosthetics shop and to meet other children who have had similar procedures. Nayeli's amputation in 2012 and other surgeries were complicated because of longitudinal deficiencies, or uneven leg length, on both sides and poor alignment." The prosthesis process focuses on more than just pain relief or leg symmetry. "We think about the physics of how the leg will work with the prosthesis," Dr. Heare explained. "We use threedimensional gait analysis to evaluate patients before surgery. Our challenge was to work through the function of Nayeli's leg from the hip through the femur, knee and tibia to the prosthesis. Our goal was to align her bones to maximize functionality." NEW SHOES TO DANCE IN Today, Nayeli is happy with her new freedom to move and express herself. She and her mother, Edith Lynch, are pleased with the loving, collaborative care she received at Children's Colorado. "One nurse put a mask on my teddy bear before surgery," Nayeli recalled. "I was trembling so hard, my bear fell on the floor. The nurse told me she had already gone to sleep, and I had to fall asleep quickly so I could meet my bear again in my dreams." "The nurses made her feel at home and took away her fear," added Lynch. "We trusted Dr. Heare and everyone on staff. We wish we had made this decision sooner." Want to share your child's story of treatment and recovery with us? "Like" Children's Hospital Colorado on Facebook and post a comment. Motion Capture "When anyone stares at me, I pretend I'm a pop star." Using three-dimensional motion capture technology, the Center for Gait and Movement Analysis (CGMA) at Children's Hospital Colorado provides insight into a variety of challenging conditions and treatments: • Brace and prosthetic modifications • Cerebral palsy • Spina bifida • Spine, hip and joint problems due to injury The CGMA at Children's Colorado is the only center of its kind in the region, and just one of about 40 in the country that provides a comprehensive analysis of walking and movement. To learn more, visit orthopedics.childrenscolorado.org and search "Center for Gait and Movement Analysis." — Nayeli Lynch-Bolanos shine 5

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