Earlier this month, MedCAD President and CEO Nancy Hairston launched into a 5-day medical mission journey with the Christian Medical Affiliation of Ukraine.
MedCAD had donated custom-made 3D implants and Hairston was eager to see the impact the gadgets had been having. She accompanied 4 US docs as they labored with native surgeons to reconstruct extreme facial trauma with 100% {custom} implants created and donated by MedCAD.
The U.S. group on this “Imaginative and prescient for Ukraine” mission consisted of Dallas surgeon Dr. Jorge Corona, a world-class oculoplastic surgeon; Dr. Stuart Seiff, a San Franciso primarily based surgeon, one of many world’s main orbital reconstruction consultants; Dr. Patrick Carpenter, a Bay Space microsurgeon specializing in complicated flap reconstructions and Dr. John Frodel, a maxillofacial surgeon with 20 years of expertise in fight accidents.
Under is Nancy’s first-hand account.
Day 1
We arrived in Kyiv at the moment and went straight to the hospital to fulfill the hospital group, surgeons, and sufferers. We met sufferers who acquired our implants in earlier mission journeys, and one man particularly who was six months into his restoration. His left cheek bone and eye orbit had been broken, however he appears good, and he appears to be getting by way of it. He speaks exceptionally good English.
Lots of the sufferers converse English, and communication is never a barrier. Whether or not by way of dialog or easy human gestures like hugs, their appreciation and resilience are unmistakable.
Even in struggle, thus far, Kyiv appears like a traditional metropolis. Persons are strolling across the metropolis, the cafes are hopping with clients, and I’ve not seen loads of devastation. Nevertheless it’s not even 10 p.m. but, and many of the bombings right here occur early within the morning, effectively earlier than daybreak…
We’re in a regional hospital, and it isn’t even a serious one, however docs Yurii Chepurnyl and Oleksandr Vasyliev are creating an particularly vital cranio-maxillofacial program right here. They’re doing so many instances every week, and they’re so proficient and good, it is simply mind-blowing, …
There’s an orbital flooring recipient right here who speaks good English, so we had fairly a chat. He was the Ukraine supervisor for an Italian shoe model earlier than he acquired drafted. He’s blind in a single eye and retired from the battle however grateful to be alive. I requested what’s subsequent and he’s not quitting the combat; he plans to do logistics for the navy.
It’s 1 am and no air alert but, so I hope to go to mattress and never need to go to the shelter within the basement of the constructing. I’m exhausted.
Day 2
Good night from Kyiv! The final two days of surgical procedures and assembly earlier MedCAD implant recipients have been profitable. There are many good emotions and gratitude from these courageous individuals!
These struggle damage instances are very totally different from what we work with day by day. The blasts created issues with smooth tissues and at the moment was a very complicated case, a maxillary fibula flap reconstruction and an orbital flooring situation. Patrick and Yurii carried out an 8-hour surgical procedure that was extraordinarily complicated, I gained’t lie, however ultimately, they had been pleased with the end result.Within the US, microvascular surgical procedure for fibula connection is completed with microscopes, however surgeons do not have them right here. And so Patrick, a rock star younger surgeon from San Francisco, carried out the surgical procedure with little loupes on his glasses. It was powerful process, however Patrick’s already dedicated to coming again on the following mission, and he’s bringing surgical microscopes for the hospital.
We’re within the OR now, engaged on the orbital flooring and the implant just about slid in. The affected person has a useful eye and his imaginative and prescient shall be saved. Kudos to MedCAD’s Dennis and the recon group on the design of those implants.
Going to the hospital, seeing these sufferers. It’s simply… I imply the type of accidents, it is heartbreaking. However alternatively, everyone seems to be upbeat. The entire group is like, OK, let’s roll up our sleeves and let’s assist these individuals. That is what we’re right here for, you recognize?
Tomorrow is one other VERY massive day with the mandible recon and cranial implant. Please ship us some good vibes!
Day 3
As you stroll by way of the hospital you see virtually all people is lacking a watch. Or each eyes. The Russians ship drones with grenades on them, and individuals are getting these blast accidents that blind them. Generally the explosion isn’t that near them, however the strain of the blast is ruining their eyes.
Then there’s shrapnel. I used to be within the room when one of many surgeons pulled a international object from deep in a affected person’s face; it was a chunk of a silicon chip from a drone. It was so surreal.
I imply, no one’s introduced their ego right here. It has been unimaginable to observe these surgeons, see them studying one another’s minds. They’ll inform one another, “OK, John are you able to leap in and assist out with the lack of tissue across the cheek space,” or “Jorge, scrub in and check out this nerve scenario.” It is so cool to observe.
These Ukrainian docs are so extremely proficient. They’re doing a lot trauma, and we’re all studying from them. The collaboration is like choreography. The U.S. and the Ukrainian docs have accomplished 5 missions collectively and solely about as usually as each six months, nevertheless it’s like a well-rehearsed ballet.
It’s extremely gratifying to be part of this superb group of individuals right here and caring sufficient to make use of their very own time. They’re doing ten surgical procedures proper now they usually’ll be within the OR until 1 a.m. this morning once more. They’re altering these individuals’s lives, giving them hope, giving them just a little little bit of a greater future. It’s the hope that fuels this group.
The surgeons maintain saying that we’re like a household, and that features all people at MedCAD, working from afar. We’re all working for one thing a lot greater than all of us.
Day 4
Day 4 from Kyiv—our final within the capital—and we’re driving out tonight. No bombings whereas we had been right here, for which I’m grateful. Orbital flooring and Maxilla implants went effectively at the moment, they usually match completely.
We’ve accomplished three intense instances within the final three days, fibula reconstructions of the mandible and the maxilla. It isn’t simply the bony anatomy that’s affected by these accidents; it’s a number of complicated techniques. The blasts have an effect on the vessels, and it takes large ability for Patrick, the microvascular surgeon, to attach. The approaches have simply been just a little bit totally different than they’d be ordinarily. In a single case yesterday, there was a lot scar tissue that they needed to assume on the fly and open up the face in an unconventional manner. Nothing is simple.
As an organization, MedCAD is extremely expert at most cancers reconstruction, however we do not do a ton of trauma so I’m studying lots.
A affected person we did yesterday had a crushed cheekbone. We had used his imaging to see the place the fragments of the bones had been after we made his implant, however after we acquired within the OR, we did not even have to make use of the reducing guides as a result of every little thing was already damaged.
Day 5
We’re in Lviv proper now. It’s a fantastic previous European city, like a film set. The bombings, artillery and drones have been occurring in Kyiv, however not a lot right here. However nonetheless, we simply went to a restaurant that had basements that they use as a bomb shelter. Folks aren’t dwelling like they’re in concern, however they’re clearly dwelling with day by day stress.
Right this moment we’re at a Kids’s Hospital as a result of Jorge and Stuart are doing ocular plastic instances tonight. Many are congenital defects— they’re complicated instances for ocular plastics —and people sorts of defects don’t cease throughout wars.One of many youngsters we noticed was damage in a bomb blast. He misplaced his legs and a few fingers and suffered facial injury. He is simply 16. I believe we’ll most likely do an implant for his facial damage. However you sit right here and go, what is that this all for? Why?
I imply, it is mindless. It is completely mindless.
A complete technology.
The message I need to ship again is that these individuals are struggling, and any one among us can contribute in some small manner. It could possibly make extra of a distinction than you can ever think about. And that’s what we get the chance to do. I hope I get that message throughout to all of you and the workers in MedCAD. You understand how proud I’m of my group that we’re ready to do that. That is what we do day-after-day in the US, however you get to essentially really feel it in a spot like this. These individuals aren’t dwelling on the moon like our media tells us. We’re all a part of a worldwide village, and in the case of how we may help, Ukraine is simply as shut as Denver or Pittsburgh or Jacksonville or for wherever else we do surgical planning.We’re making a distinction. “We” which means individuals in the US, and these surgeons, and “we” which means MedCAD. I simply need everybody on the firm—from the individual segmenting to the case administration to the individual making the implant, to the individual transport it—to know that each single one among us is making a distinction.
