With the help of AKO Aktionskreis-Ostafrika e.V. at Kibosho a NGO humanitarian mission in reconstructive plastic surgery for needy people in the Kibosho Hospital has been successfully executed in the last 3 years. Knowing about the number of patients waiting and the severity of cases we gathered a larger group of experts this year. The members of our “Team 2017” will be:
Dr. Andreas Schmidt (Teamleader, plastic surgeon and hand surgeon)
Dr. Wolfgang Pfäffl (physician ophthalmologist and organizer)
Dr. Klaus Schwarzmaler (anesthetist)
Dr. Christa Schwarzmaler (physician, anesthetic help)
Dr. Andreas Breuer physician vascular surgeon)
Dr. Ulrike van der Merwe (physician, plastic surgeon)
Eva Gerullis (theatre nurse)
Dr. Catharina Wacker (physician, surgeon)
Simon Völkel, (2. Surgery-Assistant)
The mission this year will take place from April 18 throughout April 30 2017. We provide all kind of plastic reconstructive interventions for acquired or hereditary deformities. Most of the cases will be post burn scar contractures.
Last year we could do quite a large number of serious cases during the short time of one week.
It was somewhat mandatory to plan a longer and more equipped mission this year to serve the many patients vividly demanding for help and reconstructive surgical improvement of their deformities.
What do we do? The pathologies we usually treat are the following:
Head and neck:
Cleft lip and palate, sequelae of cleft lip surgery, deformities of the face, scars, facial tumors such as hemangiomas, neurofibromas, ameloblastomas and other more, facial palsy, sequelae of facial burns, rare facial clefts, facial microsomia, sternomental contracture, sequelae of leprosy and of course warfare related mutilation.
Hand:
Burn contractures, syndactylies, median or ulnar palsy, deformities such as f.e. symbrachydaktyly, clubhand, polydactylies and so on, volkmann´s contracture, skin and soft tissue defects, a.f.m.
Trunk:
Burns, defects and deformities, pressure sores, ulcers (buruli?!)
Leg:
same as in hand and head and neck further more: clubfoot, sequelae of polio, osteomyelitis (with some limitations)
Not to do:
We won´t do most of urogenital deformities like bladder ecstrophy or hypospadias or f.e. rectovaginal fistulas, because these need a longer two stage aproach.
We won´t be able to treet palsies due to brain damage during delivery! We won´t be able to treet people with malignant tumors in a late stage!
Our special interest and know how is of course in flap surgery for all kinds of defects of skin and soft tissues. Specialties are microsurgical reconstructions, e.g. in Noma or in mutilated hands.
Effectiveness and need of such mission is best shown by the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSmKpRd3Lt4
We, the South Bavarian Section of Interplast Germany have been active in many countries esp. in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Niger, Ethiopia, Namibia, Iran, Tanzania, Bolivia, Paraquay“
Andreas Schmidt MD
