Col. James L. Budny, MD, FAANS, FACS, USAR, MC— The U.S., NATO and our coalition allies have been at war for more than 10 years. The real-life burden of conflict is borne by the men and women of our Armed Forces. Their sacrifice has been substantial. To date, in Iraq (Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn) and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) combined, for U.S. forces alone, there have been 6,630 deaths and nearly 60,000 seriously injured, according to Defense Casualty Analysis System data. Read More…
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22 Trauma Seasons
Kathryn Ko, MD, MFA, FAANS—In the streets of New York Dope fiends are leaning for morphine The TV screen followed the homicide scenes You live here, you’re taking a chance So look and I take one glance, there’s a man inside an ambulance Look behind you when you walk That’s how it is in the streets of New York — “Streets of New York” by Kool G. Rap and DJ Polo, 1990 Prick (Acrylic on canvas) by Kathryn Ko. August 1991: 2 a.m. I am driving to the hospital to do a craniotomy. I am not thinking about surgery. My mind is preoccupied with getting there. Because of a mistaken short cut, I am completely lost. I end up on a deserted street with burned-out buildings and vandalized abandoned cars. It is scary quiet. The street lamps are shards, the pay phone is cracked, and I shouldn’t be here. I am disoriented. My hands shake as I unfold a map and strain to read the graffiti-disfigured signs. Headlights appear in the rearview mirror. A sedan with tinted windows is coming….
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Point: The Tangible Benefits of Neurosurgical Humanitarian Missions
Bradley N. Bohnstedt, MD; and Daniel H. Fulkerson, MD—In the summer of 2012, we — a senior neurosurgical resident (Bradley N. Bohnstedt, MD) and attending (Daniel H. Fulkerson, MD) — began our humanitarian mission to Eldoret, Kenya. We shared the same thought: “Are we crazy for doing this?” Other medical specialties lend themselves to humanitarian work, but neurosurgeons rely on advanced, expensive technology. We wondered what we could offer to an underserved, rural African city. When we returned to the U.S., our doubts were erased and we realized that neurosurgical missions provide a number of practical benefits. The first benefit is medical experience. We spent our time at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital. The Kenyan staff had accumulated a number of surgical patients for our arrival. These were complex, challenging cases. African patients travel for days, at great personal expense, to the hospital. Therefore, patients only seek care for severe, advanced disease. We found these cases to be very satisfying, professionally. Daniel H. Fulkerson, MD, (second from left) and Bradley N. Bohnstedt, MD, (far right) with Kenyan OR staff and Godfrey Waiske, MD,…
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Counterpoint: Africa Is Not a Surgical Finishing School
Graham Fieggen, MSc, MD, FCS (SA); and Edwin Mogere, MBChB, MMed—The health-care challenges faced by Africa’s people are so considerable that one might think any assistance should be welcomed with open arms. However, things are changing on the “hopeless continent” (as described by The Economist just a few years ago), and meeting its developmental needs requires a strong emphasis on transferring skills. The first question to consider is whether we, as neurological surgeons, can play a meaningful role in this context? I believe we can. Many Africans suffer from conditions we can treat, but not in isolation. Our work, therefore, requires us to play a leadership role in helping develop the broader health-care system. This compelling personal account of a medical visit to Kenya looks at a specific example of how neurosurgeons can (and do) contribute. Understandably, the authors’ perspective is largely that of the visiting senior trainee — the unique medical experience; dealing with complex, challenging cases that provided valuable medical training opportunities; the potential academic benefits (including research opportunities and teaching); and a sincere appreciation of the outstanding cultural benefits. These are real…
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Bridging the Gap: Bringing Neurosurgical Support to Bolivia
Deborah Cassell—The Solidarity Bridge neurosurgery team, including Bolivian neurosurgeon partners, at the 18th National Neurosurgery Congress. From left to right: Dr. John Weaver (#2), Dr. Richard Moser (#4), Dr. Art DiPatri (#6), Dr. Juan Lorenzo Hinojosa (#7) and Dr. Roberta Glick. There is a great divide — not just in distance, but in standard of living — between the U.S. and Bolivia, the poorest country in South America. Seventy percent of the Bolivian population (which totals 10 million) live in deep poverty, 63 percent struggle with little to no access to medical resources, and the average citizen makes 22 cents per hour (1). But one group is helping to narrow that gap through programs that make it possible for neurosurgeons and other health-care professionals to travel to Bolivia throughout the year to aid men, women and children in need. “Healing & Empowering” in South America is the mission of Solidarity Bridge: a non-profit that provides a channel for persons and organizations who want to impact the lives of the very poor through their contribution of expertise,…
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