MADERA, Calif. — A young girl’s struggle with a rare forearm deformity led Valley Children’s Hospital to take a state-of-the-art approach using 3D planning technology.
Dr. Michael Galvez first met Blair when she was 11 years old when she was diagnosed with Madelung deformity — a rare condition that causes abnormal bone growth in the forearm. In Blair’s case, symptoms didn’t appear until she was older.
“We noticed it when she started complaining about pain in her hand,” said Brandon, Blair’s father. “As soon as we started noticing, it seemed like it progressed rapidly.”
Her mother, Jessica, recalled a moment that highlighted the severity of the condition.
“We had gotten her a bike for Christmas and the handles had brakes, and she couldn’t push the brake — and she ended up crashing,” said Blair’s mother, Jessica. “And we noticed that her arms went away from the handles.”
Blair’s condition quickly impacted her daily life.
“She couldn’t do any self-care. Washing her hair, eating. She couldn’t hold the fork. She was complaining about pain every day,” Jessica added.
By the time Blair was evaluated at Valley Children’s Hospital, her case was among the most complex Dr. Galvez had seen. Her wrist joints were dislocated on both sides due to the condition.
To address the severity of the case, Dr. Galvez and his team turned to 3D surgical planning — a first for a Madelung case at Valley Children’s. The technology allowed them to work with precise 3D-printed models of Blair’s bones before operating.
“It’s nice to tangibly feel what the radius and ulna are like,” said Lauren Perry, a nurse practitioner who assisted with Blair’s procedures. “And then once we’re in there, we know exactly where to drill. We know exactly where the holes are going. I know how to assist in that because I’ve already seen what it looks like.”
Blair underwent two surgeries — one on her right arm in June 2023 and another on her left arm in April 2024.
“With her results, she has a wrist and a forearm that are straight for both her right and her left side after those two surgeries,” Dr. Galvez said.
Following surgery, Blair worked with Valley Children’s hand therapy team to relearn how to use her hands. The transformation was immediate.
“Blair was full of light to begin with, but you could see there was something holding her back,” Perry said. “After we did these surgeries on her, it’s like that was lifted. And so now she’s riding her bike. She’s wearing short sleeves. It’s like a complete 180.”
Dr. Galvez credited his team and the innovative approach for the successful outcome — one that has changed Blair’s confidence for the better.
“We had this child with one of the most complex differences that we’ve seen, even in the entire United States, something that is so different and challenging,” Dr. Galvez said. “And we were able to fully take care of her here.”
To learn more about Blair’s journey, click here.
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