American, Afghan docs begin surgical process for young burn victim

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Renni Thornton
  • 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) --  An American facial thoracic surgeon and an Afghan medical team from Kandahar Regional Medical Hospital partnered March 1, here to help heal a young man who had severe burn injuries for six months.

Thirteen-year-old Abdul Rahman was severely burned in a cooking incident in his home.

His father managed to get him to a doctor many miles away, but the hospital staff there was only able to provide limited care and after five days, he was sent home to heal.

In doing so, he lay in bed on his back. His injuries were so significant that he couldn't move much. Over a period of months, Abdul laid in bed, unable to move and in severe pain most of the time. Over time, his chin had rested on his chest and his burns fused his neck to his chin.

Six months after the accident, he and his father began a new journey.

"We were told of the patient and his injuries from a medical staff at a provincial hospital in Farah province, several hundred miles away where he lives," said Lorn Heyne, the director of medical training advisory group at Kandahar Regional Medical Hospital. "He was taken there by his father who traveled several miles to get him there for treatment."

Colonel Heyne contacted a medical adviser at Regional Command-South who is also a cranial-facial surgeon and dentist. Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Barry Steinberg consulted on the case and offered to help.

Doctor Steinberg is here as a medical adviser working with the Afghanistan National Security Forces at RC-South, but he offered his services to the regional hospital if they needed him while on his deployment.

The surgery lasted five hours. Doctor Steinberg said Abdul did very well during the surgery and the Afghan medical team did a fantastic job.

"We discussed the surgery first, talked about the procedure and what steps were going to be taken a few days before the surgery," Doctor Steinberg said. "The Afghan medical team here is tremendous. They will do well in any hospital."

This was just the first step, Doctor Steinberg said. During this surgery, skin grafts were taken from the boy's thighs and placed on his neck. A soft cervical collar was placed under his neck atop the dressing to keep his airway open and allow the grafting to heal.

Abdul will need additional surgeries including removal of scarring so he can have full range of motion of his arms and eventually surgery to heal the open chest wound from the burns, Doctor Steinberg said. That will probably require extended care.

In the U.S, the procedure would be a series of surgeries, probably taking about seven or eight months if his burns had been treated right away, Doctor Steinberg said. Recovery time for Abdul is likely to take up to 18 months.

"This is the first time this type of surgery has been performed here," said Afghan National Army Air Corp Col. Elaj Basear, the hospital director. "This allowed the medical team here to learn a new procedure. We have an excellent facility and we will help him get better. The staff gets to learn new procedures so that they can help other patients who may be severely injured. Doing this will help build a bridge between the community and the staff here."

While Abdul said he is afraid of the surgery, he is also glad the doctors will be able to help him because there are no doctors where he lives.

The journey thus far has been difficult for Abdul Ghafer and his son. Abdul is tormented by some of the other children where he lives, his father said.

The children throw rocks at him and he tries to cover up so his injuries and his physical condition cannot be seen, he said.

Eating and sleeping have been difficult for him too, Abdul Ghafer said. His son is embarrassed for people to see him becauset oftentimes food or drool escapes from the corners of his mouth.

"My skin bothers me," Abdul said. "And my neck is attached to my chest. I am scared of my face in the mirror. I look like a monster."