Success! Vichea from Cambodia raised $926 to fund a mastoidectomy to improve his hearing.

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$926 raised, $0 to go

$926

raised

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Vichea's story
Vichea's update

November 16, 2022

Vichea is a 37-year-old soft drink seller from Cambodia. He is married and has two daughters and one son. When he is not working, Vichea enjoys playing with his small son and helping his wife at home.

When he was six, Vichea had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. Because of this, Vichea experiences hearing loss, discharge, and pain. It is difficult for him to communicate with others, and the pain and discharge disrupts his sleep. The medications to alleviate his symptoms are expensive and have not treated the problem.

Fortunately, our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), is helping Vichea receive treatment. He traveled to CSC’s care center where, on November 16th, he will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his right ear. During the procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Now, he needs help raising $926 to fund his procedure and care.

Vichea shared, “I hope my hearing improves and my ear heals.”

Vichea is a 37-year-old soft drink seller from Cambodia. He is married and has two daughters and one son. When he is not working, Vichea enj...

Photo of Vichea post-operation

April 13, 2023

Vichea underwent a mastoidectomy to improve his hearing.

Surgeons successfully removed the abnormal growth that affected Vichea’s hearing, and he stayed at the hospital for two days to recover. He was given antibiotics and ear drops to instill for a week. When his final stitches and packing are removed after two weeks, he hopes to be able to communicate better with family and customers. This will help him to maintain a steady income to feed and support his family.

Vichea said: “I am so happy to talk with other people now. I feel well enough to return to helping my wife at our store. I would like to thank the CSC staff for the great care, and the people who helped me to have this surgery so I can help my family and hear better than before.”

Surgeons successfully removed the abnormal growth that affected Vichea's hearing, and he stayed at the hospital for two days to recover. He ...

November 16, 2022
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Vichea was submitted by Sieng Heng at Children's Surgical Centre.
November 16, 2022
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Vichea received 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.
November 18, 2022
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Vichea's profile was published to start raising funds.
April 5, 2023
FULLY FUNDED
Vichea's treatment was fully funded.
April 13, 2023
TREATMENT UPDATE
Vichea's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 20 donors

Treatment

Mastoidectomy

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $926 for Vichea's treatment

Hospital Fees

$130

Medical Staff

$681

Medication

Supplies

$86

Labs

$24

Radiology

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

A mastoidectomy is a surgical procedure that removes diseased mastoid air cells. A patient who needs a mastoidectomy will experience hearing loss, chronic ear infections, and possibly cholesteatoma—an abnormal skin growth in the middle ear. Cholesteatomas cause hearing loss and ear discharge. The cholesteatoma will erode bones in the middle ear and can eventually expose the brain and cause death in complicated, untreated cases.

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

Patients live with hearing loss and chronic ear infections.

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

Treated incorrectly or left untreated, an infected mastoid bone can cause hearing loss, persistent ear discharge, meningitis, temporary dizziness, and temporary loss of taste. Due to poor hygiene and limited education in rural Cambodia, patients are likely to experience complications and receive the incorrect treatment.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

A mastoidectomy is performed with the patient asleep under general anesthesia. Surgeons will perform one of several different types of mastoidectomy, depending on the amount of infection present. These include: • Simple (or closed) mastoidectomy: The operation is performed through the ear or through an incision behind the ear. The surgeon opens the mastoid bone and removes the infected air cells. The eardrum is incised to drain the middle ear. Topical antibiotics are placed in the ear. • Radical mastoidectomy: This procedure removes the most bone and is usually performed for extensive spread of a cholesteatoma. The eardrum and middle ear structures may be completely removed. Usually the stapes, the "stirrup"-shaped bone, is spared to preserve some hearing. • Modified radical mastoidectomy: In this procedure, some middle ear bones are left in place, and the eardrum is rebuilt by tympanoplasty. After surgery, the wound is stitched up around a drainage tube, and a dressing is applied.

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

This treatment will relieve chronic ear infections, hearing loss, and other symptoms caused by the infected mastoid bone.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

This treatment is highly effective, but it poses risks if performed by an inexperienced surgeon. The operation is near the facial nerve and the brain, so surgeons must be careful when operating. At Children's Surgical Centre, ENT surgeons only operate on cases about which they feel confident.

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

Care for this condition is not easily accessible in Phnom Penh. Only one other hospital performs ENT surgery, but care at that hospital is expensive. The ENT surgeons at our medical partner have a proven record of successful cases.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

Once the infection stops responding to antibiotics, surgery is the only option.

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Vichea's Timeline

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Funded by 20 donors

Treatment

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.