The week long medical mission took place in January and was organized by Hospital Padre Carollo, in Quito, Ecuador, and New York-based Northwell Surgical Line Global Initiative. Non-profit Padre Carollo Hospital - "A Song for Life - provides primary and secondary medical attention and supports underserved residents in the south of Quito.
Ansell Clinical Consultant Mercedes Chavira, RN, who served as head nurse for the mission, described the United States-based team. "The surgical team included surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists, and nurses from Northwell Surgical Services, plus volunteer nurses from UCLA Medical Center, in Los Angeles California," says Mercedes. "The entire team participated in surgical procedures for both adults and children, donning Ansell gloves throughout the trip to keep both patients and staff safe."
Adult surgeries performed included hernia repair. For third world and developing countries, a hernia can make a huge difference in whether an individual can work and perform normal daily routines, especially since most patients are laborers, farmers, or have demanding physical jobs.
The surgical team also assisted with and taught laparoscopic gastric sleeve surgery to Ecuadorian surgeons and surgical residents. Ecuador has launched a National Bariatric Surgical Program to assist adults who are overweight, have high body mass index and subsequently, have developed diabetes. The team of Ecuadorian physicians operated wearing Ansell's new GAMMEX® PI Glove in Glove™ System. The physicians adjusted to the new technology quickly and appreciated the faster donning time.
Children's surgeries performed in Quito included correcting cleft lips and palates. These congenital conditions are indigenous for Ecuadorians from the Amazon jungle. Many cleft lips and palates are never corrected due to the scarcity of health coverage and difficulties finding skilled surgical treatment in Ecuador.
Lastly, the plastic and reconstructive surgical team operated on the hands of post burn victims and on individuals with other congenital conditions as well as injuries caused as a result of accidents. In total, 15 adults and 22 pediatric surgeries were completed in this year's mission.
The Northwell team used Ansell's SANDEL® Z-Slider® and SANDEL ProForm™ positioning aides to assist with safely moving and positioning of the patients during their procedures. In addition to these safety products and the Glove-in-Glove product, Ansell also donated GAMMEX PI White, GAMMEX Non-Latex Sensitive, and various synthetic styles of MICROFLEX® exam gloves.
The variety of donated gloves suited the needs of the team well, including one scrub nurse with terrible contact dermatitis. She appreciated Ansell's GAMMEX Non-Latex Sensitive gloves and did not experience any reactions during the mission. The surgeons, physicians, nurses, other volunteers, and especially the patients, send a huge THANK YOU to Ansell for this generous donation!