For the first time working with Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital, Dr. Scott Cordes, head of the Operation Walk Chicago (OW) surgical team, rated this as one of the most successful missions in the past 14 years. From October 22 to 26, OW and Vinmec doctors performed hip replacement surgeries for poor patients in Vietnam. All cases received the best care and recovered very quickly.
In their second annual mission in 2018, OW collaborated with Vinmec Da Nang to support and assist the poor and disadvantaged people suffering from knee and hip joint diseases by providing free joint replacement surgeries at Vinmec Da Nang Hospital.
According to Dr. Scott Cordes, head of the OW surgical team: "The team chose to collaborate with Vinmec Da Nang in the Central region due to the high evaluation of the professional quality of the doctors and medical staff. Moreover, Vinmec is one of the hospitals in Vietnam with many charitable programs supporting the treatment of poor patients."
This collaboration has brought joy to many patients. Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Tuyết (78 years old, from Hoàng Mai District, Hanoi) has suffered from arthritis for 10 years. Since 2013, after a fall and spinal compression, she had to wear a brace and had great difficulty walking. Her dream of joint replacement seemed increasingly distant due to her multiple health issues and advanced age. Over the past year, her legs and knees swelled, making it impossible for her to walk, and repeated fluid drainage only provided temporary relief.
Wanting her mother to live healthily, her daughter, Ms. Lê Thị Thanh Hà, researched joint replacement programs and was fortunate to find information about the free joint replacement program by Vinmec Da Nang and OW.
Mrs. Tuyết became the oldest patient to undergo surgery during OW's mission in Vietnam this time. Dr. William Gilligan, who directly operated on Mrs. Tuyết, said: "The doctors replaced the right joint to address the degeneration, pain, swelling, limited mobility, and knee deformity. The surgery went smoothly, so the patient did not experience nausea or fever post-operation despite her history of high blood pressure."
After the surgery, Mrs. Tuyết can now walk with crutches, and her leg pain has subsided. At the age of seventy, being able to walk again with her own legs, she is extremely happy and shared: "I never expected to receive such a great blessing at the end of my life. I was operated on and monitored by skilled doctors. The nurses and technicians, true to the Central region's character, were friendly and always smiling, making patients feel less pain."
Mr. Võ Trọng Khoa (52 years old, from Mộ Đức District, Quảng Ngãi Province) was also very satisfied after traveling nearly 200 km to Vinmec Da Nang for surgery. He had suffered from bilateral hip pain for over 10 years, and in the past 5 years, he could hardly work. The family burden fell on his wife, and despite the pain for many years, he had no choice but to endure it.
The doctors chose joint replacement surgery, the optimal method for patients with severe joint degeneration affecting mobility. After surgery, patients continued to receive care in a well-controlled infection environment, with pain management protocols jointly developed by OW and Vinmec. As a result, most of the over 20 patients who participated in the free joint replacement surgery program at Vinmec Da Nang in October 2018 have recovered, with significantly improved quality of life.
A week of working together, performing surgeries, and caring for patients, bringing joy and hope to poor patients, and helping them improve their quality of life has become an unforgettable memory for both the OW team and Vinmec doctors. Dr. Scott Cordes shared: "Vinmec is the best team we have worked with. The orthopedic surgeons are very skilled, the anesthesiologists coordinate smoothly, and the nurses quickly grasp the procedures, resulting in excellent surgical outcomes. From this successful first mission to Da Nang, OW hopes to continue collaborating in training programs and developing joint replacement surgeries with Vinmec."
The success of the joint replacement surgeries with OW at Vinmec Da Nang from October 22 to 26 affirmed the professional competence and willingness to learn of Vinmec Da Nang doctors, aiming to provide the best healthcare quality for the people of Central Vietnam.
Operation Walk Chicago (OW) was established in 1996 in the USA to perform charitable hip and knee replacement surgeries for poor patients. OW has conducted over 10,000 surgeries for poor patients and transferred advanced techniques in this field to doctors in 25 countries worldwide, including Vietnam, Nepal, China, the Philippines, Peru, Mexico, Nicaragua, Cuba, and El Salvador.
More information: http://www.operationwalk.org/
