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Volunteer cleft surgery in Colombia: an 18-year perspective
Robert Bruce MacIntosh1, Lawrence T Herman, Prasanna Kumar Shivapuja
1Clinical Professor, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Detroit, MI.
Summary
Volunteer surgical teams provided significant benefits in Colombia over 18 years, despite challenges. Cleft lip and palate surgeries were overwhelmingly beneficial, though speech and nutritional gains require further study.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Global Health
- Craniofacial Anomalies
Background:
- Volunteer surgical missions offer critical care in underserved regions.
- Long-term clinical data from such missions are essential for evaluating impact.
- Cleft lip and palate care presents unique challenges in developing nations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the clinical outcomes and societal impact of an 18-year surgical volunteer program in Colombia.
- To analyze the experience with cleft lip and palate surgeries performed by a volunteer group.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 2,558 cleft surgeries on 2,410 patients.
- Data collected over 18 years, including epidemiologic, anatomic, and surgical details.
- Utilized a customized database for patient information.
Main Results:
- Observed a high incidence of isolated soft palate and bilateral cleft defects.
- Low rate of serious complications (11 emergencies/urgencies) with zero fatalities in 2,727 operations.
- Significant sociologic and interprofessional advancements noted.
Conclusions:
- Volunteer surgical groups provide substantial benefits in developing countries, despite imperfections.
- Further research is needed to quantify speech, nutritional, psychological, and sociological outcomes of cleft surgery in this population.
