From April 24 to April 30, children suffering from encephalocele in the frontal-nasal area will receive free surgical treatment at Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City. Families with children affected by this condition can register with Cho Ray Hospital until April 20, 2006.
Nearly 20 doctors from the Australian Smile Surgery Organization (OSA), in collaboration with doctors from the Neurosurgery Department at Cho Ray Hospital, will perform surgeries for children with brain protruding through a defect in the nasal region, causing a soft tissue mass to form.
The surgeons will open the skull, excise the herniated pouch, reconstruct the meninges, and perform corrective surgery on the nasal and ocular region. Each surgery lasts between 16 to 20 hours.
Patients residing in Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces with similar conditions can register directly with the Neurosurgery Department at Cho Ray Hospital until April 22, 2006, for screening and surgery.
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| A child in Gia Lai with a facial deformity (left photo) and after surgery to restore a normal face (middle photo). The child is then carried home by their mother, an ethnic minority, for care (right photo). Photo: Dr. Luong Minh Man (Cho Ray Hospital) |
It is known that in Western countries, the US, Australia, Japan, and China, the incidence of this condition is 1 in 35,000 newborns. However, in countries like Thailand and Malaysia, the rate is 1 in 5,000.
In Vietnam, this condition primarily affects ethnic groups living in Gia Lai and Dak Lak. The exact reasons for the higher prevalence in these areas are not well understood, but according to Dr. Luong Minh Man, head of the Neurosurgery Department at Cho Ray Hospital, it may be due to genetic factors or maternal nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy.
In particular, a lack of folic acid, a crucial element for the development of the nervous system in the early stages of pregnancy, is noted as a potential cause.
Previously, in December 2004, OSA performed surgeries on four cases.
By July 2005, the Neurosurgery Department at Cho Ray Hospital successfully operated on another 18 cases.
The patients are primarily children from the Jarai, K’hor, and Ede ethnic groups, aged 1 to 16 years. They are currently recovering well.
Thu Phuong
