Final day of surgery for Sutter medical team

This was the final full day of surgery for the team from Sutter affiliates CPMC and Alta Bates. They had expected it to be a relatively quiet day as the team had already taken care of most of more serious injuries - but some auto accidents ensured a supply of fresh patients. Fortunately the portable x-ray machine the team brought with them meant those patients could get the excellent care they needed. Just as well. Check out the x-ray of that patient's fractured legs. Ouch.

The conditions that the team have been working in are much improved since their previous visits in January and March. They say it's impressive just how much progress the hospital is making in trying to get back to normal.

Below are two photographs. The first shows the patient ward back in January, shortly after the earthquake hit. The second one shows the same ward today. Clearly a huge improvement.

Making progress in Haiti

The Sutter-affiliated team of doctors and nurses from CPMC and Alta Bates are able to help more seriously injured patients on this trip than they were on the previous two medical missions. The big difference this time is access to machinery, such as portable x-ray devices, that allow them to repair more complex injuries.

For instance this photo shows Dr. Taylor Smith repairing a tibial plateau fracture that happened during the earthquake. He could not do this procedure properly without the flouroscope. Hopital St-Nicholas is now one of only four hospitals in Haiti with intropertive x-ray capabilities.

Here is the patient after the procedure. After months of pain she has finally had the surgery she needed to realign her knee. No wonder she's smiling!

While Haiti is still continuing to struggle to recover from the earthquake progress is being made. Take a look at these two photos of the radiology lab at St. Nicholas' hospital where the Sutter team is at work. The first photo shows the lab in January, immediately after the quake. The second one shows it today. Clearly a huge advance, one that benefits patients and makes it easier for doctors and nurse to do their work.

Medical team hit the ground running

Using power tools (loaned by Stryker) and flouroscopy (donated by Hologic), Dr. Taylor Smith (California Pacific Medical Center) and Dr. Lamont Cardon (Alta Bates Summit Medical Center) place an intramedullary rod in a patient with a complex leg fracture.

The Sutter Health medical volunteer team wasted little time getting to work after arriving at L'hopital St-Nicholas in Haiti, outside Port au Prince. The team from California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) and Alta Bates Summit Medical Center (ABSMC) arrived Friday in Haiti on Friday and by Saturday morning were already at work in the OR. Using equipment, generously donated by the manufacturers, the team started with patients suffering from complex fractures. On this trip, unlike previous ones, the team has a portable x-ray device that allows them to be more precise in their work and better able to handle complex cases.

Dr. Lamont Cardon (ABSMC) at work repairing a wrist fracture

Helping Haiti - A Third Time

A third team of doctors and nurses from Sutter-affiliated Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and California Pacific Medical Center are heading back to Haiti to help the earthquake-ravaged country.

Watch this KTVU report