Cambodian girl has rare brain tumor removed in 20-hour surgery
- From: Chim <ChimS1@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:23:36 -0800 (PST)
Cambodian girl has rare brain tumor removed in 20-hour surgery
Posted on Wed, Jan. 30, 2008
By RON WORD
Associated Press Writer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- She struggled through the murder of her father,
homelessness and abandonment. Now the 12-year-old Cambodian girl is
recovering after surgeons here successfully removed a lemon-size tumor
from beneath her brain.
Buntheep Chun, a wisp of a girl with dark eyes, a small voice and a
slight smile, is staying at Ronald McDonald House after receiving
several surgeries, including one lasting about 20 hours at Wolfson
Children's Hospital.
Buntheep began experiencing vision problems in October while staying
at the Cambodian Christian Arts Ministry. A local optometrist
diagnosed her with lazy eye and gave her glasses. But her vision
continued to grow worse.
A CT scan showed she had a tumor filling her head, said Gioia
Michelotti, the school's director who accompanied Buntheep to the
United States and serves as her "Mommy" and translator.
"The doctor said, 'If you don't get her across the ocean for help
right away, she may not make it at all. She is going to die,'"
Michelotti said.
She and Buntheep, who has earned the nickname "Bo Peep" at the
children's hospital, boarded a flight from Phnom Penh to Chicago,
without knowing where the girl could receive treatment, but trusting
in God.
After landing in Chicago, they were notified that doctors and nurses
at Wolfson would donate their time and services for free. The
procedures would have cost about $1 million, hospital officials said.
"We are so fortunate that God brought us to a place like this,"
Michelotti said.
Buntheep arrived Nov. 14 and was taken to the Children's Emergency
Center, where she was met by Dr. Philipp Aldana, a pediatric
neurosurgeon.
After an MRI, Buntheep was diagnosed with a giant cell granuloma, a
rare, benign tumor that had gotten so large that it had broken through
the bones protecting the brain.
The next day, pediatric craniofacial and skull-base surgeon, Dr.
Saswata Roy, and Aldana biopsied the tumor and removed part of it.
"Her condition was quite serious. She was blind in her right eye, her
left eye vision was deteriorating, and she had a large tumor occupying
the space in front of her brainstem, pushing on all the major blood
vessels to her brain and the nerves to her face," Aldana said.
On. Dec. 6, a team of doctors and nurses performed 20 hours of surgery
on Buntheep. The procedure called for removing her forehead, the upper
part of the eye sockets, base of the skull, nasal bones and sinuses
and the back of the septum, just to reach the tumor.
Aldana removed the tumor, piece by piece, while working to contain
bleeding and damage to nerves.
After the surgery, Roy reconstructed the child's face and fascia from
her leg to rebuild the base of the skull.
Buntheep, who had been hospitalized in the Pediatric Intensive Care
Unit at Wolfson, required another surgery Dec. 12, after cerebrospinal
fluid was found in her brain cavity.
She struggled with headaches, dizziness and nausea, but doctors said
she never complained. Finally, she was able to sit up in bed and walk.
She was released to Ronald McDonald House on Jan. 11, but she will
spend about three months in Florida before returning to Cambodia so
doctors can monitor her recovery.
At the Ronald McDonald House, she's been playing a piano and a guitar
that a volunteer loaned her. The girl doesn't speak English, but has
been enjoying the movies and books available at the facility,
Michelotti said.
She also said Buntheep is worried that she will fall behind on her
school work and her dream of becoming a teacher.
The child has regained most of her vision in her left eye and doctors
are hopeful that the right eye will also improve.
Next on her agenda is a trip to a shopping mall, which is being
furnished by the Dreams Come True Foundation.
The child has lived a challenging life. When she was 3-year-old, her
father, a soldier, was shot and killed by a thief who took his
motorcycle.
Her mother had to eventually sell their home to get money for food and
clothing. They became homeless and she was sent to live with
relatives.
When she was 9-years-old, she and her older brother were taken to
Cambodian Christian Arts Ministry School, where she was chosen to play
the part of Molly in the musical, "Annie."
"She is a trooper. She's the real hero. Never once did I hear her
complain," Roy said.
.
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