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, arranged for a consultation and surgical procedure in June.
According to Yun, the operation was highly challenging, combining the removal of finger tissue with tissue preservation and reconstruction techniques.
“Surgery in adult patients is considerably more difficult due to hardened tissues, but we focused on restoring both hand function and aesthetic appearance to the fullest extent possible,” he said.
Following her surgery, Angeles was discharged just one day later and underwent three weeks of outpatient care before safely returning to her home country on Monday.
The hospital covered all medical expenses, while Mentoris assisted with her travel and living costs.
At a farewell event, Angeles said that the surgery had truly changed her life and she was looking forward to painting freely with the children in her hometown.
The procedure was carried out under the hospital’s overseas patient invitation program, established in 2009, which brings patients from underserved regions to Korea for medical treatment. To date, 36 patients from 14 countries, including Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Jordan, have participated.
The hospital’s general director Kuh Sung-uk said, “Carrying out the social responsibility of a medical institution is central to the Severance spirit and an essential mission. We will continue to extend hope to patients abroad who are in need.”
