Severance Hospital surgeons restore hand function for Filipino teacher with rare disorder

Yonsei University Gangnam Severance Hospital medical staff have successfully treated Angeles Yvonne N-Jel from the Philippines, who was born with the rare congenital condition brachypolysyndactyly, the hospital said Wednesday. The disorder, characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of polydactyly (having extra digits) and syndactyly (webbed digits), had caused her hands to be fused together since birth. The 29-year-old, an art and music teacher in a rural area of the Philippines, was raised by her grandmother after losing her parents when she was just six months old. Brachypolysyndactyly involves complex entanglements of bones, joints and ligaments, making early surgery advantageous. However, limited health care access and financial hardship prevented Angeles from receiving treatment, forcing her to live with the hand deformity into adulthood. Earlier this year, Angeles lost her grandmother, leaving her entirely on her own. Her case was referred to the hospital by the nonprofit organization Mentoris. Upon receiving her information, Professor Yun In-sik, a specialist in plastic surgery,Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times