Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:10 AM
Dec 09, 2008 News
… focus is on club foot
The capabilities of orthopaedic doctors, especially those stationed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), have been greatly boosted over the years through the efforts of the Guyana Health and Education Relief Programme, which is based in the United States.
The programme is coordinated by New York-based surgeon Dr John Mitchell, who, along with a team of medical experts headed by lead Surgeon Dr Claude Scott, arrived in Guyana on Sunday to commence a week of paediatric orthopaedic operations at the GPHC.
The team, according to Dr Mitchell, is ably assisted by doctors Akintunde Watson, Ricardo Carrion and Hydar Khan, who are all stationed at the GPHC and have been receiving some level of training from the overseas-based experts.
“I think they have been doing very well. They are now at the point where they have successfully undertaken some of the operative procedures themselves, and they have been progressing very well in terms of learning the techniques,” Dr Mitchell divulged.
He pointed out that among the children the team is scheduled to examine are some who were seen by Dr Watson and Dr Khan, who have been using the Ponseti Technique which has proven to be very successful.
This technique, according to medical researchers, has become the most widely practiced method for initial treatment of infants born with clubfeet. Reports are that the technique is easy to learn and, when applied accurately, yields excellent results.
The corrective process utilising the technique can be divided into two phases: the treatment phase, during which time the deformity is corrected completely, and the maintenance phase, during which time a brace is utilised to prevent recurrence.
However, during each of the phases, attention to the details of the technique is essential to minimize the possibility of incomplete correction and recurrences.
The treatment phase, as a result, should begin as early as possible, optimally within the first week of life. Gentle manipulation and casting should be performed on a weekly basis, with each cast holding the foot in the corrected position, allowing it to gradually re-shape.
Generally, five to six casts are required to fully correct the alignment of the foot and ankle.
At the time of the final cast, the majority of infants (reportedly more than 70 per cent) will require a percutaneous surgical procedure with a small incision through the skin to gain adequate lengthening of their Achilles tendon.
And in order to ensure that the technique becomes a regular feature locally, Dr Mitchell revealed, efforts are being made to expand the knowledge base of all primary care providers.
“This is our ultimate goal. Whatever region they may identify children with club foot, once they know that technique, they can start the process of trying to correct it.”
With the use of the technique, Dr Mitchell said, it is anticipated that children with club feet would not require having surgery done, since their feet would be moulded and cast in a specific way.
Braces, he said, are often acquired by taking the children’s measurements back to the US, where some companies volunteer to sponsor their acquisition.
In the meantime, though, he noted that those with feet that have reached a point where they need surgery will be attended to in that regard.
And while it is the intent of the team to eventually allow local orthopaedic doctors to operate on their own, Dr Mitchell said, at the moment, there are still several other different areas where help is needed.
“One of the things that we have seen in the course of coming here over the past three years is scholiosis, where the spine is twisted. And we see a lot of children who require surgery for this.”
He, however, noted that the goal of the current mission is to ensure that the club foot procedure is running very well, adding that, hopefully some time next year, surgeries could be arranged for children with scholiosis.
“As we go along, we will identify other areas where there is a need; and as we see them, if we can provide some assistance, we will work towards such. Ultimately, the goal is to train the hospital staff here and to provide them with the resources to do all these things themselves.”
LISTEN HOW JAGDEO WILL MAKE ALL GUYANESE RICH!!!
Apr 24, 2024
Round 2 GFF Women’s League Division One Kaieteur Sports – The Guyana Police Force FC on Saturday last demolished Pakuri Jaguars FC with a 17 – 0 goal blitz at the Guyana Football...Kaieteur News – Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, persists in offering... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]