Severance Hospital treats Eswatini boy for rare facial malformation

Severance Hospital in South Korea has successfully treated a 7-year-old boy from Eswatini suffering from a rare congenital condition known as lymphatic malformation. The boy, Thandolubanduzi Sinemphilo, presented with a massive growth on his jaw and neck that had expanded to the size of a human head, making breathing, speaking, and eating extremely difficult.

The condition, which affects approximately 1 in 10,000 newborns, was a microcystic type that had infiltrated muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. Due to his family's limited financial resources, the boy had been unable to access treatment, leading to social isolation and physical complications.

Under the ‘Global Severance, Global Charity’ program, the hospital covered the full medical costs, totaling approximately 90 million KRW. Led by Professor Kim Da-hee, a multidisciplinary medical team removed approximately 95% of the lesion. The surgical priority was to secure the airway and preserve essential functions such as swallowing and speech, rather than attempting total removal which could have caused severe neurological complications. The patient will continue follow-up care and medication upon returning to Eswatini.