Treatment reduces swelling in Cambodian girl's 'elephant arm'

Taipei, Oct. 1 (CNA) A tailor-made elastic bandage has helped reduce swelling in the arm of a two-year-old Cambodian girl who checked into Taichung Veterans General Hospital in central Taiwan for treatment on Aug. 28, her doctor said Friday.

The young patient from Cambodia, Reachny Mich, whose condition has been described as an "elephant arm, " was prescribed the elastic garment by pediatric hematologist Chang Teh-kao.

The sleeve reduced her right arm's circumference from 31 centimeters two weeks ago to 26 centimeters, Chang said at a news conference at the hospital.

"It proves that our conservative therapy to reduce the massive swelling in her arm has worked, " he said.

The two-year-old was brought to Taiwan by her mother about one month ago for examination and possible treatment of her arm, which weighed so much the girl was unable to walk.

Chang said Mich's right arm was four to five times larger than her left arm. He diagnosed the girl with a rare case of Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome, a deformation of blood vessels and bones.

The girl was fortunate as she has not suffered from arteriovenous malformation, an abnormal connection between veins and arteries that would otherwise cause heart failure, Chang said.

"It is hoped that the circumference of the child's arm will decrease to about 20 centimeters in a month," Chang said.

He said that doctors decided not to perform surgery on the child because they felt she was too young and the surgery could cause complications.

"It will take six months to one year for us to complete the current treatment. We will make a new assessment if there is a problem with the sleeve," he said.

Reachny Mich is expected to be released from the hospital in one month so she and her mother can rent a home near the hospital and visit the doctor twice a week, according to Hsu Yu-pi, a volunteer at the hospital.

Hsu has been assisting the two with their finances as they seek medical attention in Taiwan. They have also received a donation of NT$100,000 (US$3,125) from Royal Philips Electronics.

Mich was discovered by a Taiwanese medical team when it visited Cambodia in April to provide free medical services. (By Hau Hsue-chin and Deborah Kuo)