MISSION WORK – PLASTIC SURGERY ABROAD

Bac Giang-Vietnam; March 2008 – Dr Kim returned to Vietnam after a 2-year-hiatus.  This time, the Project Vietnam team travelled to Bac Giang Province, about 40 km north of Hanoi.  Dr Kim was the lead surgeon for the trip, and asked one of Japanese plastic surgeons from Yamaguchi, Japan, to join him.  With two plastic surgeons, a total of 25 procedures were performed over 4 days in Bac Giang.  The American medical team was well received from the local officials and hospital personnel, as well as the local community.  

Lagos, Nigeria 2006 – Dr Kim returned to Lagos in 2006 to perform additional work for the children.  During this stay, a child with a cleft lip, operated on in 2003 as one of the first children cared by the BEARS Foundation, returned to see Dr Kim in Lagos.  He was now 3 years old, and traveled from a remote village to show a great smile to Dr Kim.

Lagos, Nigeria – The BEARS Foundation (Lagos, Nigeria) sponsored the first reconstructive trip for children of the remote provinces of Nigeria in 2003. Many children with cleft lip, palate and syndactyly were brought to our team for repair surgery. Though we only had access to a small local hospital with one operating room, the surgeries were a success and everyone was particularly pleased with the results.

Benin, Nigeria – Working with the BEARS Foundation once again in 2004, reconstructive surgeries were provided for the victims of kerosine explosion accidents that occurred throughout remote areas of Nigeria in 2001. Surviving victims suffered severe burn injuries and, without proper medical care, developed severe burn contracture – some cases so severe that they cannot walk, move their limbs, turn their heads or even close their eyes. I assembled a team of surgeons and surgical technicians. We flew to Africa and performed burn reconstructive procedures on several dozen patients in a half-abandoned medical school hospital. Despite the obstacles encountered, we successfully treated all of the victims that showed up for the surgery.

Vietnam – Project Vietnam is an organization run by pediatricians and has provided free primary, medical and surgical care to children in remote areas of Vietnam for over 10 years. I was asked to join their team of plastic surgeons and operate on children in the northern province of Lang Son in 2004. We brought all the equipment, instruments and supplies from the US and used a provincial public hospital for the operations. Due to the limited amount of operating room spaces, three operating tables had to be in one room. We operated side by side and performed over three dozen reconstructive procedures with great success.