Meet the patients: Anthony McMahon

When Anthony McMahon was born with abnormal hip joints and short legs, his parents feared he might never be able to walk. The severity of his condition meant that he faced the prospect of amputation and prosthesis to try and improve his mobility.

However, two-year-old Anthony has become the first person in the UK to have a ‘super-hip’ operation to reconstruct his leg. Now his dad, Ian, is looking forward to them being able to play football in the park one day.

Anthony’s mum, Kerry, found out about his short legs at an ultrasound scan, when she was 22 weeks pregnant. There were concerns that there might be more serious complications and she was referred to the fetal medicine unit at Princess Anne Hospital.

Anthony was born in Guernsey, where the family live, but he was transferred to Southampton General Hospital at just 10 days old, to be seen by Professor Nick Clarke, an orthopaedic consultant.

Once Anthony’s hip joint started to form, Prof Clarke realised that there might be an alternative to amputation and prosthesis. He contacted an American surgeon, Dr Dror Paley, to see if he would visit the UK and carry out a ‘super-hip’ procedure.

Dr Paley agreed to perform the surgery and along with Prof Clarke he spent nine hours in theatre, reconstructing Anthony’s right hip and leg. His hip was broken and a custommade plate inserted across the defect. 

Six weeks after the operation, Anthony and his family flew back to Southampton to have his plaster cast removed. He was fitted with a specially made splint, which he will need to wear for about eight weeks while he gets the movement back in his leg.

Prof Clarke said: “In about a year, Dror Paley will return to the UK and we will repeat the surgery on Anthony’s left leg. Our aim is for his legs to be symmetrical, with normal hip and knee function.

“Once that has been done, we will also be able to perform a limb lengthening procedure, so that he will hopefully be a good height. It is a long process, with several years of treatment, but the results should be worth it for Anthony.”

This story was first published in Connect| Magazine