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Hernia Surgery in Uganda: An Experience of Doctors Worldwide
Authors: Orhan Alimoglu, Seyit Ankarali, Tunc Eren, Metin Leblebici, Busra Burcu, Tamador Shamaileh, Oya Cigerli, Sedat Tuzuner, M. Sait Ozsoy, Kerem Kinik
Number of views: 402
Aim: Our aim was to evaluate, and report the experiences of the volunteer surgical team of Doctors
Worldwide (DWW) Turkey during their medical activites in Uganda.
Materials and Methods: A surgical camp was organized by DWW Turkey between 3-8 February
2015 in the Butambala and Kampala districts of Uganda. The surgical camp, in addition to other
surgeries, was intended to conduct herniorrhaphies for all forms of abdominal wall hernias.
Outcomes obtained as results of all surgical practices, including the demographic data of the
patients, the types of anaesthesiological, and surgical procedures performed were recorded,
and analyzed.
Results: Surgical interventions were carried out under either general, spinal, or local anesthesia
in a total of 115 patients with the diagnosis of inguinal hernia in 80 (69.57%), umbilical hernia in
15 (13.04%), and epigastric hernia in 9 (7.82%) cases. Additionally, operations were performed
for hydrocele in 11 (9.57%) cases. Postoperative minor complications were met in 10 (8.70%)
patients, and no postoperative mortality took place at the end of all operations.
Discussion and Conclusion: DWW Turkey Surgical Team conclude that, as an efficacious modality
of treatment, surgery should be considered as one of the most important priorities when
conducting humanitarian health aid programs.