Bunkek Song holds her 3-year-old brother, heart patient Bunlak Song, in the Cambodian New Year Parade in Long Beach on Saturday. (Jeff Gritchen / Press-Telegram)
By Greg Mellen,
Contra Costa Times Staff Writer
Posted: 04/06/2011
LONG BEACH - More tests need to be done before local doctors make a decision whether to go forward with high-risk heart surgery for an impoverished Cambodian boy.
That was the verdict Wednesday when cardiologists at Miller Children's Hospital and Memorial Medical Center met to review the case of Bunlak Song, who is in the U.S. seeking surgery for his damaged heart.
Within the next few weeks, doctors plan to perform a cardiac catheterization on Bunlak. The procedure, which involves threading a catheter into the heart, will allow doctors to more accurately measure the blood pressure in the boy's heart and lungs. From this they can better gauge the risk in proceeding with surgery and whether the boy's lungs are already too damaged to be repaired.
Initially there had been discussions about having surgery on the boy a week ago.
Dominic Blurton, a pediatric cardiologist with Pacific Cardiovascular Associates, examined Bunlak and agreed with taking the cautious approach.
"I'm all for any further testing to make sure he's safe," Blurton said.
Bunlak suffers from a large ventricular septal defect, or hole in his heart, that is about the size of a quarter. He also has a less serious small to medium patent ductus arteriosus, which is a defect in the connection between the aorta and the pulmonary artery.
The two defects cause oxygenated blood that should flow to the body to instead go back into the lungs.
Blurton
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said typically in the U.S. a child with Bunlak's defect would be operated on at about 6 months old.
Because the boy couldn't get the care he needed in Cambodia, Bunlak has suffered from blood shunting into his lungs and causing irreversible damage for years.
The condition has also stunted Bunlak's growth. He measured in only the third percentile for height and weight of a child his age in the U.S., meaning 97percent of children are larger.
This is why, if surgery is an option, it needs to be done soon. During the catheterization, Blurton said, "We will almost certainly give him medication that will dilate the vessels in the lung. We hope the pressures will fall somewhat."
That will give doctors a better estimate of the risk and chance for recovery.
Bunlak would also need to be given medicine and supplements to prepare for the surgery.
Already, the boy has gained more than 5 pounds since arriving in the U.S. March 7.
"I'm optimistic that this will have a happy ending," Blurton said.
Peter Chhun, the head of Long Beach-based Hearts Without Boundaries, was happy to hear Miller Children's Hospital is still considering taking Bunlak's case. Dr. Daniel Bethencourt will likely perform the surgery if Miller moves forward. He was traveling Wednesday.
If the Long Beach hospital doesn't go forward, there will likely be other options for the boy.
"We'll go wherever the wind blows us," said Chhun, who has helped three other Cambodian children receive heart surgery.
However, Chhun says his first preference would be to have Bunlak receive care close to home.
"My hope for Bunlak is to fix his heart in the heart of Long Beach," Chhun said.
People interested in helping the nonprofit Hearts Without Boundaries raise funds for Bunlak's stay in the U.S. can call 818-640-6191 or go to heartswithoutboundaries.org.
greg.mellen@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1291
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