This time, we were in Bembéréké with a large team. Dr. Christian Hess, anesthesiologist, and Dr. Katharina Herrmann, pediatric surgeon in training, had already been there several times, and we were joined by Dr. Karin Lawrenz, pediatric surgeon, and Dr. Jasmin Pilatzek, pediatric surgeon in training. The team was completed by Marina and Hartwig Sauter and our technician Uwe Buchwitz.
Despite a change in the hospital administration, this mission was also very well prepared, we were perfectly looked after, including by Marina, and were able to concentrate fully on our work. There was plenty of it: we spent almost every day in the operating room until 10 p.m. and performed a total of 69 operations on 62 children. Christian Hess’s experience was particularly beneficial when it came to small children, as he supported the local anesthetists.
As with previous missions, the focus was on operations on children with facial clefts and burn contractures, mostly of the hands. Eleven of each were operated on. The other operations covered the entire spectrum of pediatric surgery. It was also gratifying to see the children who came in for check-ups or planned second surgeries, where we saw that the first surgeries had healed very well. Our patients with esophageal strictures are also doing well. One patient, who was initially unable to eat through her esophagus, has now had her direct access to the stomach removed because she is able to eat well thanks to regular bougienage.
We are delighted that this mission was also carried out successfully and that we all returned home safe and sound.