Surgical team saves life
of 4-year-old suffering from
swollen belly disorder

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By Helen Altonn
Star-Bulletin

A 4-YEAR-OLD Filipino boy with Hirschsprung's disease is doing well after an intricate lifesaving operation at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children.

Dr. Walton Shim, Kapiolani's pediatric surgeon and chief of staff, performed the 512-hour surgery Tuesday on July Espina Loria.

"He's doing well so far, but we're watching him very carefully," Shim said. "Hopefully, everything will turn out well."

July's condition was diagnosed by Aloha Medical Mission last November in the Northern Samar province of the Philippines. Honolulu surgeon Carl Lum did an emergency colostomy operation until arrangements could be made for the child to be brought here for surgery.

July is the seventh of nine children of an impoverished family in Northern Samar.

HIRSCHSPRUNG'S disease is a disorder in which a baby is born without certain nerves in the intestine that aid in bowel movement. The stool becomes trapped in the large intestine, causing the abdomen to bulge.

Lum made a temporary passageway for the large intestine to discharge waste outside the body.

Shim removed the diseased portion of the boy's large intestine and connected the normal part of the colon to the rectum in an operation known as the Swenson procedure.

Shim trained under renowned pediatric surgeon Orvar Swenson, who developed the procedure.

The operative team included Dr. Jim Hattori, pediatric anesthesiologist, and Kapiolani nurses Charlie Bruchal, Tony Soriano, Myrna Natividad and Kathleen Lam.

With July constantly is a public health nurse who came with him from the Philippines, Shim said.

"In addition to staff nurses and residents -- we poke our heads in every once in a while. He looks comfortable."

Surgery was scheduled March 13 but was delayed because July had a temperature and a parasitic disease.

The child's trip here was coordinated by Dr. Ramon Sy, Aloha Medical Mission president.

All travel expenses for the child and nurse were paid by the Rotary Club of Honolulu-Sunrise through its president, William Gaeth.

Surgical and hospital expenses were free.

Hosting the child and his nurse is Lolita Ching, a mission volunteer nurse.