Local and foreign doctors work hand-in-hand

Rita A.Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali

Unconscious, Aldo Canser, one of the Kuta bombing victims, lay in one of 10 operation rooms at Intensive Surgery Center (ISC), Sanglah General Hospital in downtown Denpasar.

Burned all over his face, body and hands, Aldo underwent surgery after three days of intensive treatment in the Melati room. For more than four hours, Dr. Nyoman Semadi, head of the hospital's ISC unit, along with three Singaporean surgeons, carefully performed reconstruction surgery to treat Aldo's burned skin.

Flown over by private Parkway Group that runs the Mount Elizabeth and Gleanegles hospitals, the three surgeons -- Dr. Leslie B Kuek (microsurgery), Dr. Chan Siang Sui (surgeon) and Dr. Chew Khet Kuen -- were dedicated in doing their work.

"It has been our pleasure and willingness to help the victims and the staff of the hospital," Chew said. The three doctors brought with them high-tech medical equipment and medication needed for reconstructive surgery.

"We are a good team. The Singaporean doctors work with the patient's left hand, while the Indonesians with the right one," the doctor said during a short break.

The surgery on Wednesday could be followed via a small television monitor outside the operation room. There were two more patients awaiting their turn that day -- Bambang and Chusnul Chatimah.

"We will finish the operations before we leave for the airport at 6 p.m."

Next door in the Melati room, 25 severely burned patients need various types of surgery -- plastic surgery, orthopedic, etc.

The involvement of Singaporean doctors was part of strong international commitment to back up the Indonesian government in dealing with hundreds of victims of the Oct. 12 bombing in Kuta.

More doctors from Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, Britain, Germany and the United States are expected to arrive on Bali soon.

Dr. Semadi acknowledged that the center had limited medical equipment. "We still need a lot more equipment to help accelerate the process of the operation, especially in the present emergency situation," he said.

Since the night of the bombing, the Surgery Center has conducted 45 major operations. "Of course, this was a very hard situation for us in Sanglah hospital," Dr. Semadi said.

Several years ago, the hospital treated a large number of victims of an air crash and a bus accident in Kintamani. "But, those were smaller incidents," he said.

Dr. Chew said the human skin is a complex, sensitive organ that serves many functions necessary for the well-being and maintenance of life .

"It is difficult to treat a burn injury, especially when it is followed by various complications such as infection, "the doctor said.

A burn injury can be caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, radiation or gases. Treatment for burns include pain relief, stopping infection, maintaining fluids and electrolytes, providing balanced and healthy meals. Severe burns may cause shock, and special attention is needed for the hands, head, neck, chest, ears, face, perineum and feet.

Prevention of contractures in these areas is crucial to good healing. Any time there is soot around the nose or mouth, burned nasal hairs, stridors, hoarseness or impaired breathing, upper airway damage should be suspected.

Severe burns require emergency treatment to prevent life- threatening conditions such as shock and infection.

Dr. Semadi hopes that help will come very soon as the center is running out of medicine and is short of equipment.