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Chanthoeun is a mother of three from Cambodia who needs $487 to fund her myringoplasty surgery so she can hear and sleep well.

Chanthoeun
4%
  • $20 raised, $467 to go
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$467
to go
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January 17, 2023

Chanthoeun is a 53-year-old homemaker from Cambodia. She lives in Phnom Penh with her husband and has one son, two daughters, and a grandchild to keep her busy. At home, she enjoys cooking, doing her housework, and caring for her grandchild.

Five years ago, Chanthoeun had an ear infection. This infection caused her right ear’s tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, to perforate. As a result, Chanthoeun experiences ear discharge, tinnitus, hearing loss, and sometimes cannot sleep well at night. She has taken medicine from a local pharmacy for treatment but has not seen any improvement.

Chanthoeun traveled to our medical partner’s care center to receive treatment. On January 16th, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Chanthoeun needs help raising $487 to fund her procedure and inpatient care.

She said: “After surgery, I hope my ear stops having frequent infections and improves my hearing.”

Chanthoeun is a 53-year-old homemaker from Cambodia. She lives in Phnom Penh with her husband and has one son, two daughters, and a grandchi...

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Chanthoeun's Timeline

  • January 16, 2023
    TREATMENT SCHEDULED

    Chanthoeun was scheduled to receive treatment at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre in Cambodia. Medical partners often provide care to patients accepted by Watsi before those patients are fully funded, operating under the guarantee that the cost of care will be paid for by donors.

  • January 17, 2023
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Chanthoeun was submitted by Romanea Khun, Assistant Manager, CSC at Children's Surgical Centre.

  • January 20, 2023
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Chanthoeun's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • TODAY
    AWAITING FUNDING

    Chanthoeun is currently raising funds for her treatment.

  • TBD
    AWAITING UPDATE

    Awaiting Chanthoeun's treatment update from Children's Surgical Centre.

Funded by 1 donor

Funded by 1 donor

Treatment
Myringoplasty
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $487 for Chanthoeun's treatment
Hospital Fees
$61
Medical Staff
$375
Medication
$0
Supplies
$43
Labs
$3
Radiology
$5
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

​What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

A myringoplasty is the closure of the perforation of the tympanic membrane in the ear. This surgery is performed when a patient has a perforated eardrum, certain types of hearing loss, and chronic otitis media (middle ear infection). A bilateral myringoplasty will be performed when a patient has otitis media on both sides. Patients experience difficulty hearing and communicating, in addition to chronic infection and daily ear discharge.

​What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?

The patient has difficulty hearing and experiences daily pain and ear discharge. These symptoms make it difficult to attend school or work regularly.

What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?

Many people in Cambodia are unaware that medical help is available for ear, nose, and throat (ENT) conditions. In rural villages, if a young child has trouble hearing, it may be assumed that he or she is deaf. For this reason, that child may not attend school.

  • Process
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Risks and side-effects
  • Accessibility
  • Alternatives

What does the treatment process look like?

A myringoplasty is the closure of the perforation of the tympanic membrane. The temporalis fascia is grafted. An incision is made along the edge of the perforation, and a ring of epithelium is removed. A strip of mucosal layer is removed from the inner side of the perforation. The middle ear is packed with gelfoam soaked with an antibiotic. The edges of the graft should extend under the margins of the perforation, and a small part should extend over the posterior canal wall. The tympanomeatal flap is then replaced.

What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?

This surgery will repair the perforated tympanic membrane, treat the infection, and stop the ear discharge. This operation has a high success rate of hearing improvement.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

This surgery is highly effective with few risks.

How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?

Treatment for chronic ear infections is not widely available in Cambodia. There are only a handful of doctors in the country that will perform a myringoplasty, but their services are expensive. Children's Surgical Centre is the only affordable treatment option for patients coming in with chronic otitis media on one or both sides.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

The alternative to surgery is antibiotic ear drops, but they have a far lower success rate. Many people neglect their pain and discharge for years, until total loss of hearing becomes a reality.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Seint

Seint, who is 34 years old, lives with her parents and her aunt in Ayeyarwaddy Division in Burma. Her parents and her aunt make and sell mats from their home. When Seint was 13-years old, she noticed she started to easily tire, experienced heart palpitations, and had barely enough energy to play with her friends. Her mother took her to a nearby clinic, where the doctor examined her and told them that she had congenital heart disease. The doctor gave Seint medication, which she used together with traditional medicine. Both helped her to feel better. In November 2022, Seint felt extremely tired and experienced heart palpitations while she was completing physical exercises with her students. She also had difficulty breathing, and her vision became blurred. Her mother took her to a clinic, where she received medications which helped her to feel better. A few days later, however, she started to experience pain in her back whenever she felt tired. She also started to have difficulty breathing again, and had heart palpitations. Her mother brought her to a hospital in Yangon, where she received an echocardiogram that allowed the doctor to diagnose her with atrial septal defect. After additional testing, the doctor scheduled her to undergo urgent heart surgery at Pun Hlaing Hospital. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is seeking $1,500 to fund Seint's surgery, which will allow her to regain her health, and to live symptom free. Seint said: "I would like to recover as soon as possible. In the future, I will continue to work as a teacher. I love teaching students and wearing our school uniform proudly."

27% funded

27%funded
$415raised
$1,085to go

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.