In September last year, the parents of Khan PhonPhai, who lives in Myanmar, heard the crushing news from the hospital that their 2 months old son was suffering from Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). TOF is a congenital anomaly that associated with a defect in pulmonary artery carrying blood from heart to lung.
Although it was strange that his hands and feet were often turning blue, the parent did not even think that it was so serious, unable to treat in Myanmar. Overseas surgery is inconceivable for the parents who live in farming and daily work. When they heard that 95% of patients with TOF die before age 40, all they could do was pray by the side.
This sad story became exposed to the Korean community earlier this year. Professor Kim Woong-Han , a pediatric thoracic surgeon at SNUH, who was on volunteering service in Myanmar delivered this news to SNUH to seek the way to help him in Korea. SNUH immediately went to a meeting to review the medical records from Myanmar, concluded that 'it is treatable' and then perform a surgery the following morning after entering the Khan and his family. The operation surgeon was Professor Kim who delivered the Khan’s news to SNUH. the surgery was successful and recovery was faster than expected. Khan was transferred from the intensive care unit to the general ward just one day after the operation with fast recovery. A medical team said, 'we initially thought he would have to stay in the hospital for two weeks, but he can be discharged this week considering his remarkable progress. 'Thank you very much to the Korean medical staff who gave our son a new life.' Khan's parents extended their thank.
