Local and foreign doctors work hand-in-hand

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.