Spotlight: The Adult Operating Room

Alex Cerezo (Translator), Rayanne Hillier (Adult O.R. Nurse), Dr. Ed Masson (Adult Orthopaedic Surgeon), Dr. Paulose Paul (Adult Orthopaedic Surgeon), Dr. Jance McGale (Orthopaedic Resident), and Odette Brown (O.R. Technician)

Patients in Ecuador present exciting clinical challenges to CAMTA's medical professionals. Orthopaedic surgeons volunteer their time to help those in need and end up encountering degrees of osteoarthritis and congenital deformity not commonly seen in North America. This presents a great opportunity to stay challenged in their practice, and an excellent opportunity for residents to learn. 

Dr. Ed Masson (Adult Orthopaedic Surgeon) determines the sizes of implants required 

Dr. Paulose Paul (Adult Orthopaedic Surgeon) works carefully to expose the hip joint

Dr. Juan Carlos Zabala (Local Orthopaedic Surgeon) uses suction to enhance visualization

Nurses in the Adult OR are constantly kept on their toes. The scrub nurses often have to manage several sets of instruments at once and assemble many surgical devices, all while anticipating the next move of the surgeon to ensure an efficient surgery. In addition to the circulating nurses' usual duties, they must also quickly run to pick sterile implants as soon as the specific sizes have been determined intra-operatively.

Rayanne Hillier (Adult O.R. Nurse) prepares the oscillating saw

Odette Brown (Adult O.R. Technician) relays information to the circulating nurse

Justine Tolentino (Adult O.R. Nurse) readies the next size of femoral broach

Drs. Surita Sidhu & Angela Neufeld (Adult Anesthetists)

Our Adult Anesthetists face a number of unique challenges due to Quito's elevation (2,850 m or 9,350 feet). The decreased atmospheric pressure experienced by residents of Quito reduces the amount of oxygen delivered to their vital tissues resulting in certain physiological adaptations. For example, compared to their North American counterparts, patients that live at this high altitude produce an increased number of red blood cells in an attempt to carry more oxygen. This means that patients are more sensitive to blood loss and blood transfusion rates are higher in this population than those who live at lower altitudes. Other concerns at this altitude include hyperventilation and high blood pressure. All of these bodily changes mean that our anesthetists have their work cut out for them all the way up here in the Andes.