Yunnan doctors treat Lao kids' heart disease

When 12-year-old Nindaphoy Kosada was discharged from Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Dec 2, her mother could finally relax and she was full of praise for the Chinese doctors who treated her daughter.

Kosada, with four other children, had arrived in Kunming on Nov 27 from Laos to receive treatment for congenital heart disease, all of which was provided free of charge.

The three boys and two girls, aged 8 months to 12 years, were diagnosed during a screening in mid-June by medical workers from China and Laos in the provinces of Oudomxay and Luang Prabang.

Led by Pan Xiangbin, deputy director of Fuwai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and executive director of Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital, Chinese medical workers from Fuwai Hospital of the CAMS and Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital examined 6,000 children over three days and provided treatment to three young patients.

The treatment used was developed by Pan and his team, and has been awarded for its innovation by the World Health Organization. It utilizes ultrasound, instead of X-ray, in order to guide and complete complex cardiac surgeries. Its ability in providing safer and more economical treatment has meant that such procedures can be carried out in underdeveloped areas.

After the screening, 16 Laotian children with congenital heart disease were organized to receive treatment at Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital.

Among the five in the first batch, Kosada was the first to receive the surgery.

"Before the screening, she usually felt tired, especially during PE class," said her mother, Xong Linghoua. "I never thought she had heart disease until the Chinese doctor told me it was an atrial septal defect that caused her weakness.

"I was very worried about my daughter, and the treatment expense was a heavy burden for my family," she said. "When I was told that we could go to China for free treatment, I felt quite grateful."

The surgery, led by Dong Jing, a resident expert from Fuwai Hospital, was successful, with doctors also using Fuwai's ultrasound technique to close the small hole in the girl's heart.

The other four children also received surgical treatment after comprehensive preoperative examinations and will return to Laos after being discharged on Tuesday, according to the hospital.

To relieve the patients' and their parents' anxiety, doctors explained the treatment to them before the surgery.

"The doctors and nurses are very enthusiastic and patiently informed us about our children's condition," said Bounmy Southivong, the father of an eight-year-old patient. "My son looked a little afraid at the beginning, but he finally actively cooperated to complete various examinations."

According to the hospital, the second batch of 11 patients will arrive in Kunming this month for treatment.

In the past few years, Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital has conducted a series of congenital heart disease screenings and free clinics in Myanmar and Cambodia, screening a total of 80,000 people, with 111 people receiving treatment at the hospital.