March 7, 2019
This year marks the 5th surgical mission trip that the Rush Orthopedics Department has organized to Taiwan Hospital in Azua, Dominican Republic. The annual trip is organized with the Rush affiliated nonprofit Community Empowerment, which has a long relationship with the community and surrounding rural areas.
Pediatric orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Monica Kogan, supervised the trip for the fourth year in a row, and was accompanied by three orthopedic residents. For the first time, the group was joined by a team from the University of Pennsylvania including trauma specialist Dr. Samir Mehta and two senior orthopedic residents. Overall, 29 surgical cases were performed—all without scrub techs, circulating nurses, or intraoperative fluoroscopy. Procedures included acute fractures, malunions and nonunions, multiple both bone forearms, pediatric femur fractures, and a femoral head fracture dislocation. Additionally, they preformed the hospital's first SIGN nail for a segmental tibial fracture. Many of these patients had given up hope that their injuries would ever heal. For some, treatment changed the trajectory of their life.
Many patients previously treated were seen again for follow-up care. Many were eager to report that they are walking and working, and had referred their friends and family to come see us.
Planing for next year's trip is already underway.
