Singapore's Premier Women's and Children's Hospital Offers Hope to Parents of Infant Deformities
Singapore Medicine
Singapore (PRWEB) March 20, 2010
A leading regional specialist hospital for babies and young kids, Singapore's KKH has expertise in performing complicated surgeries to correct a wide range of congenital birth defects. Infant deformities are as real as they are heartbreaking.
Worldwide, about 1 in every single 1,000 newborns suffers from some form of congenital birth defect that could range from clubfoot to facial deformities to missing body parts.
"There is a strong genetic component and it can run in families," said Dr Kevin Lim Boon Leong, a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon at KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH).
Dr Lim is the only surgeon in Singapore - and 1 of few in the region - who is certified to treat infants born with clubfoot making use of the Ponseti technique.
Clubfoot & the Ponseti Method
The condition, called congenital talipes equinovarus, tends to affect males far more than females. In virtually half the circumstances, both feet will have to be corrected. According to Dr Lim, genetic influences boost significantly with family history, with higher risks for each subsequent sibling of a clubfoot baby.
The corrective method is generally divided into two separate phases – the treatment phase and the maintenance phase. The very first helps to correct the deformity, while the second uses a brace to prevent recurrence.
"The Ponseti method has gained worldwide acceptance in the treatment of congenital clubfoot. It involves weekly manipulations, casting and in the majority of circumstances, a tendon release operation. Right after surgery, the baby will be prescribed a brace to maintain the correction and this has to be worn for 23 hours a day for the very first three months. Thereafter, the number of hours of wear is reduced gradually," explained Dr Lim.
This treatment need to begin as early as possible – inside the 1st week or two of birth. The baby's affected foot will be gently manipulated and placed in a special cast for a week at a time. Each cast is created to hold the foot in the corrected position, permitting it to gradually re-shape. Typically, about half a dozen casts are required to fully correct the alignment of the foot and ankle.
Following the 1st phase, the baby's corrected foot will be placed in a removable orthotic device. This is to aid stop a recurrence of the deformity. Depending on the child's progress, the brace may be utilized for a number of years, normally until around age 3 or four.
This low-cost, non-surgical technique has proven to be incredibly successful and KKH sees a excellent number of circumstances each year from outside of Singapore.
"I see between 15 and 25 new instances each and every year, and have treated babies from countries such as Australia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka," said Dr Lim.
Treatment with the Ponseti method is reasonably low cost and a lot safer compared to conventional clubfoot surgeries. At KKH, costs range from Singapore Dollar $ 3,000-$ 6,000, depending on the number of casts needed.
Apart from Paediatric Orthopaedic services, KKH also has expertise in Paediatric Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Dr Vincent Yeow Kok Leng, Director of the Cleft & Craniofacial Centre, sees about 20 babies each and every year who require corrective facial surgeries.
Goldenhar Syndrome
Oculoauicular Dysplasia or Goldenhar Syndrome is a congenital birth defect which involves deformities of the face. It generally affects one side of the face only. Characteristics can incorporate a partially formed or totally absent ear, a missing eye or chin and mouth deformities.
"Treatment for this condition is dependent on the severity and is constantly staged to permit for growth of the child. The objective is geared towards normalizing the skeleton, reconstructing the ear, and reanimating the face," explained Dr Yeow.
If left untreated, babies born with Goldenhar Syndrome will likely develop hearing issues, dental issues, and expertise weakness in moving the facial muscles.
1 patient who benefited from Dr Yeow's treatment was young Mohanad Ahmed, from United Arabs Emirates. The boy's facial features was distorted and not totally developed. His left side was tilted upwards and there was a hole in the face. His left ear at birth also looked deformed, and a growth could be seen over one eye.
Alarmed, the boy's father, Mr Ahmed Befal Ahmed Alshzhhi Alshehhi sought help by way of the Singapore Consulate in Dubai, and was put in touch with Dr Yeow.
"In Mohanad's case, the skeleton was significantly smaller on the left, hence his chin was deviated to the side. And since his tongue was pushed to the back, it obstructed his airway, producing it tough for him to breathe," he explained.
Doctors also conducted several operations to repair the angle of his jaw, close the hole in his face, eliminate the growth in his eye, and corrected the ear deformity. The surgeries had been profitable and Mr Ahmed was amazed at the transformation.
He said, "The doctors have carried out a quite good job. Just before, everything was all over the location. Now, things are put together again… I feel really happy with what he's done. It was the first time that a physician treated me with very good respect. He treated my son as his own son. He took calculated risks and I felt very safe with him."
He also had the opportunity to take in Singapore's sights, such as the renowned Orchard Road shopping district, and Mustafa Centre, a 24-hour mega department store popular with both locals and visitors.
"Singapore is lovely, systematic and organised," said Mr Ahmed.
Currently, KKH is the only hospital here with specialists qualified to perform such surgeries for infants and young youngsters.
About KK Women's and Children's Hospital:
KK Women's and Children's Hospital, or basically KKH, is the largest medical facility in Singapore which supplies specialized care for females, babies and children.
Considering that its inception in 1858, it has grown into a 830-bed tertiary hospital for ladies and youngsters. Each and every year, KKH registers over 600,000 visits by women and kids who come as inpatients or outpatients. In addition, 1-third of all couples in Singapore choose to deliver their babies at KKH.
The SingaporeMedicine Initiative:
Launched in 2003, SingaporeMedicine is a multi-agency government-industry partnership committed to strengthening Singapore's position as Asia's leading medical hub, and promoting Singapore as a world-class destination for advanced patient care.
For far more details on SingaporeMedicine, please pay a visit to singaporemedicine.com.
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