Read our powered by our community 🙌 Check out our 🙌
Meet another patient

Watsi logo blueWatsi

Chanthol is is 34-year-old vegetable farmer from Cambodia who needs $487 to fund a myringoplasty procedure so that he can hear clearly.

Chanthol
4%
  • $24 raised, $463 to go
$24
raised
$463
to go
Dedicate my donation


We'll send your dedicatee an email
about your gift, along with updates
about Chanthol's recovery.

December 14, 2022

Chanthol is a 34-year-old vegetable farmer. He lives outside of Phnom Penh and has two sisters and two brothers. He is not yet married and lives with his parents. His father has retired from being a tuk-tuk driver and his mother helps him sell his vegetables at a local market. In his spare time, he likes to play football with his friends.

Three years ago, Chanthol had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in his right ear to perforate. For this reason, Chanthol experiences ringing in the ear with purulent ear discharge. He has tried medicine from the pharmacy but it has not helped. He cannot hear well anymore, and his family says his ability to communicate has deteriorated.

Chanthol traveled to our medical partner’s care center to receive treatment. On December 14th, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, is requesting $487 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care.

Chanthol said: “I hope after this operation, I will have no pain, and I will be able to hear better when people talk to me.”

Chanthol is a 34-year-old vegetable farmer. He lives outside of Phnom Penh and has two sisters and two brothers. He is not yet married and l...

Read more

Chanthol's Timeline

  • December 14, 2022
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Chanthol was submitted by Ellen Interlandi, Stakeholder Relations at Children's Surgical Centre.

  • December 14, 2022
    TREATMENT SCHEDULED

    Chanthol 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.

  • December 21, 2022
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Chanthol's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • TODAY
    AWAITING FUNDING

    Chanthol is currently raising funds for his treatment.

  • TBD
    AWAITING UPDATE

    Awaiting Chanthol'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 Chanthol'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.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.