We've Reached a Decision

After two weeks spent assessing the needs of Burn Center Viedma, we’ve reached a decision on how to best utilize the funds that were so generously donated to MS4BCV. One of the most startling aspects of surgery at the burn center is the lack of reliable equipment to monitor vital signs during the course of an operation. The current monitor cuts in and out of service, and the validity of the data it presents when functional is questionable at best. Given that anesthetizing children is an extremely delicate pursuit, and the majority of children must be put under general anesthesia, the absence of adequate equipment for monitoring vital signs makes surgery at the burn center an extremely risky endeavor. Many times the only way the anesthesiologist knows for certain that the child’s heart is still beating is to use a stethoscope. Further more, if a child’s heart was to stop during a surgery, the OR lacks a defibrillator, which greatly inhibits the ability to resuscitate. Although Dr. Romero and staff are well aware of these inadequacies, they are unable to acquire new equipment since the hospital is federally funded. Currently the government has deemed other areas of health care in Bolivia a priority, so the burn center continues to go without. Sadly, it is the children who suffer, and pay the price in preventable scarring or deformities due to rushed procedures, infections due to delayed surgeries, or in some cases death.

Based on these observations, and input from our predecessors, we felt the best way for MS4BCV to uphold our mission of service to Burn Center Viedma was to purchase a new monitor complete with EKG and defibrillator for the OR. Given our lack of knowledge concerning this equipment, we enlisted the help of Dr. Luis Quiroga, a family practitioner who received his medical training at the University of Cincinnati and who practiced in Ohio for over thirty years. We accompanied Dr. Quiroga to numerous medical supply stores throughout the city until we found the equipment that met our requirements. He has guaranteed us that we have chosen the best monitor possible. We would again like to thank all those who so generously donated to this cause so that a purchase of this magnitude could be made. Because of your generosity, lives will be saved.

Dr. Romero

Growing up in a medical family, I was constantly reminded that medicine is a pursuit of the heart more so than the mind. Dr. Romero has been the director and chief surgeon of Burn Center Viedma for over twenty years. Although he continues to explore and improve his craft, the dedication that has defined his tenure in such a traumatic and stressful position has undoubtedly been driven by his heart. At sixty-five years of age, he has obvious aches and pains. Currently he is unable to lift his left shoulder above forty-five degrees, suffers from gastric ulcers, and today was battling a bout of gastroenteritis. Even while vomiting between surgeries he refused to concede his position of responsibility. Following this morning’s procedures, one of which was a debridement of the third degree burns suffered by an eighteen month old baby, we found an exhausted and dehydrated Dr. Romero seated next to the child’s crib. Of all that Dr. Romero has taught Jason, Jim, and I over the past few weeks, perhaps the most significant lesson is further evidence that medicine truly is a pursuit of the heart.

Staff Lunch

Written by Jason Rogers

Siesta, according to Webster’s Dictionary, is a mid day rest, and according to Cochabambans it is a reason to make lunch the most important meal of the day. Not long into our Bolivian excursion, did we realize that lunch, not dinner, is the most important event of the day. Lunch is a very leisurely meal in this country and as Americans we have to occupy ourselves with various activities to avoid the nap that is also a staple of many Latinos. Most businesses seem to shut down from the hours of noon to about 4 to ensure that everyone has ample time to siesta.

The above noted, putting together a lunch for the enter Burn Center Viedma staff was a goal of ours from the first day we arrived. Being able to invite the staff to a lunch shows our support of their work and further, their acceptance of our invitation means that they have also accepted us into their group. With the help of Cindy, we were able to set up such a lunch with the hospital staff and, interestingly enough, we left the choice of food up to the locals.

This past Monday we had the lunch and it went wonderfully. We (note: whenever I say “we” spoke to Dr. Romero I mean we smiled and nodded with some occasional Spanglish, the actually speaking/translating was done by Cindy Jackson, thanks!!) were able to tell Dr. Romero about the enormous support that the University of South Carolina School of Medicine had generated for his burn center in Cochabamba. The meal was a popular Bolivian dish called “picante de pollo y lengua” and included Tongue, Chicken, and freeze dried potatoes among other things, and of course some more smiling, nodding, and the obligatory acceptance of second helpings (I later realized that I was the only one suckered into second helpings of Tongue). Throughout the meal Dr. Romero was able to communicate to us some major equipment and personnel issues that he deals with day to day. First off the government only allows him to have the use of an anesthesiologist for three hours every morning, and when that time is up the day’s procedures are too. He stated that if he had access to a full time anesthesiologist he could operate all day instead of just in the morning. Dr. Romero also expressed concern that we would think of his techniques as “barbaric.” In fact, we were very impressed with his innovation and adaptation to working with a low budget and lack of certain tools that he described as “essential” in an American operating room. By the lunch’s end we had decided that buying a patient monitor for the OR would be a very worthy use of MS4bcv’s funds. As of now, patients’ vitals are not precisely known which is potentially detrimental to the well-being of any patient.

Thanks to our midday meal with the hospital staff, we were able to strengthen the relationship between the burn center and the USC SOM community. We received lots of thanks from Dr. Romero for our interest in his burn center and the fundraising efforts of everyone back home.