Another surgery for north girl with cholesteatoma
At the end of September last year, Larochelle underwent a three-hour mastoidectomy to remove the cholesteatoma in her left ear.
The young girl from Montana in the north of Pretoria who underwent a mastoidectomy last year, will have to undergo another operation this year.
Only after four months of recovery when Larochelle Bam underwent a procedure to remove a cholesteatoma, she has to prepare for surgery again.
Her mother, Leechelle, told Rekord that the Bam family once again have to raise money for the follow-up operation because they do not belong to medical aid.
Larochelle’s parents had to raise more than R80 000 for the first operation to pay for the mastoidectomy that took place on 25 September 2019.
READ MORE: UPDATE: All set for north girl’s mastoidectomy
Initially, the family joined forces with a local charity, Caring Daisies to raise money for the operation.
At the end of September last year, Larochelle underwent a three-hour mastoidectomy to remove the cholesteatoma in her left ear.
Dr Carpenter had to drill out the cholesteatoma and transplant the new eardrum into the ear.
Larochelle was diagnosed with a cholesteatoma in July 2019, after an “ear infection” failed to dry up.
“LalaBam needs to be operated again in the June/July holidays,” Leechelle said.
Earlier this week, Larochelle and her mother visited Dr Carpenter at Kloof hospital for a follow-up to examine Larochelle’s ear.
READ MORE: Joy all round for north ear op girl
The doctor tested her ears which determined that Larochelle’s hearing in the right ear was 100%.
“After the surgery, her left ear still hears very well.
“He wants to have a computerised tomography scan (CT scan) and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan) on 25 March,” Leechelle said.
Leechelle said they are looking for a sponsor to cover the costs because the family does not belong to medical aid.
At the end of last year, Leechelle said that there would be a follow-up operation where the doctor would implant a prosthetic device in her ear where most of the bones in the ear were eaten away by the cholesteatoma.
“After the scan, the doctor will know exactly what to do with Larochelle’s ear and how he will perform the operation. He said a mastoidectomy usually requires two more operations to fully heal.
“We hope, believe and trust it’s not going to be the case with Larochelle and that 2020 is going to be her year and that she only has to undergo one more operation.”
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