Phnom Penh Neurosurgery Center (PPNC)

Bringing Brain Surgery to Cambodia’s Poor

Calmette Hospital • 3, Boulevard Preah Monivong
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Professor Heng Tay Kry, calmette.htmk@bigpond.com.kh
Tel: +855 12 22 27 78 • Fax: +855 23 72 31 74

An Urgent Need for Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery emergencies account for more than 60% of Cambodian hospital emergencies. 50% of patients, mostly young, suffer from cranial trauma due to traffic accidents that require urgent surgery.

There is no epidemiologic study in Cambodia. Therefore, it is difficult to estimate the most frequent pathologies. Moreover, arriving patients are in a very advanced stage. Ultra cranial tumors represent 850 patients per year. The brain vascular accidents are the major cause of mortality, after heart diseases and cancers.

An Autonomous Structure in Public Hospital

Physiotherapy

In 2002, our European affiliate started the Phnom Penh Neurosurgery Center (PPNC) with the first neurosurgical mission. Surgeons of Hope joined the effort in its inaugurate year in the US (2001). Located in the Phnom Penh Calmette Hospital, adjacent to the Phnom Penh Heart Center, the PPNC focuses on trauma and cranial-eucephalic malformation. Slowly, but steadily, its important work has begun through the medical equipment is still inadequate.

The development of this neurosurgical activity now enables the treatment of the following pathologies:

  • Serious cranial trauma
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Brain malformations
  • Intracranial trauma

The Facility

Surgical microscope

The center comprises:

  • 1 operating room
  • 20 hospital beds
  • 6 ICU beds

The Children’s Pavilion in common with the Phnom Penh Heart Center now treat and house the child patients of PPNC from indigent families accompanied by one relative.

The Mission

The PPNC receives four international surgical missions each year, composed of:

  • 2 neurosurgeons (1 Senior)
  • 1 anesthesiologist (M.S.)
  • 1 anesthesiologist (nurse)
  • 2 other nurses
  • 1 physical therapist
Operation and practical training

Each mission stays 10 to 15 days at the PPNC operating on 10 to 15 patients while also training local staff.

Two permanent neurosurgeons have received a year’s training in Europe and now participate to the curing and training program of the Missions.

Accomplishments 2001-2006 (July)

More than 160 patients have been operated on at the PPNC in Calmette Hospital. Currently, the average cost of neurosurgery per patient is $2,200.

In June, 2005 a joint SoH-CdE mission of seven headed by Dr. Alain de Lotbiniere of Yale University School of Medicine, operated on 10 patients, 8 of them children.

  • 4 meningo eucephaloceles fronto-vasales
  • 1 occipetal meningo-eucephaloceles
  • 2 tumor of the posterior fossa
  • 3 spine cases

In the process this mission also trained 2 Cambodian surgeons and members of the PPNC staff.