Foot and ankle surgeons deliver humanitarian aid in Vietnam
Volunteers from Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Foundation travelled to Vietnam to provide corrective surgery to underserved children and adults with lower extremity deformities.
This year's volunteer group comprised eight foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons from four different countries and worked at Viet Duc Hospital and the Institute for Rehab and Orthopedics in Hanoi as well as clinics in Dien Bien Phu, Ba Vi, and Quang Ninh in Vietnam’s north. Over the course of four weeks, they evaluated 278 patients and performed surgery on 90, at no cost to the patients.
“This program is a wonderful opportunity to broaden your experience not only in medicine and orthopedic surgery but also in problem solving,” said volunteer Dr. Sandra A. Eisele from Cincinnati, Ohio. “We did not have the equipment we are accustomed to in the operating theater, so we needed to be creative. Experiencing healthcare delivery in a completely different culture is well worth the time and effort.”
Since the first Overseas Outreach Project to Vietnam in 2002, foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons have performed nearly 1,500 surgeries and evaluated more than 3,500 patients.
Foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons are medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries to the foot and ankle. Their education and training consists of four years of medical school, five years of postgraduate residency, and a fellowship year in specialized surgical training. These specialists care for patients of all ages, performing reconstructive surgery for deformities and arthritis, treating sports injuries, and managing foot and ankle trauma.
The Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that advances AOFAS’s mission of improving lives through exceptional orthopedic foot and ankle care. Through its funding of humanitarian endeavors, educational outreach programs, and innovative research, the Foundation enhances foot and ankle care for patients around the world.
Photo: Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Foudation
Volunteers from the Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS), have traveled to Vietnam to provide corrective surgery to underserved children and adults with lower extremity deformities and share advanced surgical techniques with Vietnamese doctors.
This year's volunteer group comprised eight foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons from four different countries and worked at Viet Duc Hospital and the Institute for Rehab and Orthopedics in Hanoi as well as clinics in Dien Bien Phu, Ba Vi, and Quang Ninh in Vietnam’s north. Over the course of four weeks, they evaluated 278 patients and performed surgery on 90, at no cost to the patients.
“This program is a wonderful opportunity to broaden your experience not only in medicine and orthopedic surgery but also in problem solving,” said volunteer Dr. Sandra A. Eisele from Cincinnati, Ohio. “We did not have the equipment we are accustomed to in the operating theater, so we needed to be creative. Experiencing healthcare delivery in a completely different culture is well worth the time and effort.”
Since the first Overseas Outreach Project to Vietnam in 2002, foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons have performed nearly 1,500 surgeries and evaluated more than 3,500 patients.
Foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons are medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries to the foot and ankle. Their education and training consists of four years of medical school, five years of postgraduate residency, and a fellowship year in specialized surgical training. These specialists care for patients of all ages, performing reconstructive surgery for deformities and arthritis, treating sports injuries, and managing foot and ankle trauma.
The Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that advances AOFAS’s mission of improving lives through exceptional orthopedic foot and ankle care. Through its funding of humanitarian endeavors, educational outreach programs, and innovative research, the Foundation enhances foot and ankle care for patients around the world.
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