OT also know as operative treatment.

as word gets around that there is a specialist in town we are soon called for consultation at the local hospital. here we are again surrounded by extremely competent doctors, nurses and staff but this provincial hospital does not have the same funding or amount of foreign volunteers. the ortho wing is in a gray cement building with large windows, rooms no doors, and of course no a/c. the beds are planks of wood with a palm mat covering them. the sheets and pillows look like they have never been washed. the patients lie quietly – they are the most stoic people i have ever met. with the rooms full the beds overflow into the halls.


we see patient after patient with injuries from moto accidents. one is a young man of 20 who has an open supracondylar femur fracture and segmental tibia fracture lying with just a splint on his lower leg and small bandage over the open wound – as of now the wound is not infected – i pray that it does not become infected. it is sad because in america he would be treated and walking in no time but here he is likely to succumb to infection, pulmonary embolism or sepsis. i visit him daily and every time i enter the room he gives me a wide grin and his eyes speak volumes. although, i can only say a few words to him, my presence comforts him.

next, is a 17 year old boy, another moto accident, the surgeons inserted screws into the femur but did not fix the hip which means he will not walk. on Friday we took him to the OT – put two screws in the hip – straightened and lengthened his hip – now he has a chance of walking. today, i took peanut butter to him – he quickly grabbed the spoon and indulged. i think tomorrow i will bring chocolate to accompany his PB therapy.

as for the OT – no ekg, no pulse ox, no fracture table, light sedation, scrubbing out of a bucket, many flies buzzing around room. even though the conditions were less than adequate, the staff is dedicated & well educated; they do have xray and a good drill!

there will be more cases. there is much need for us here. in fact, tomorrow we will be taking an anterior shoulder dislocation to the OT for exploration.

a side point about infection. it seems like they are unable fight infection here which i believe is due to lack of nutrition. they have no meat, poultry, or beans. the poorer people only eat rice. i have introduced the idea of eating peanut butter – high in fat and protein – perfect. seems like they are not prone to allergies.