Gallstones are very prevalent among the Honduran population. Hospital Loma de Luz has a long list of patients needing to have their gallbladder removed and pending cholecystectomy. Last August I set about trying to make a dent in that list. The hospital does have an older laparoscopy tower available, and we had dusted it off and powered it up. I was hoping to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy for these patients and thereby avoiding any post operative hospital stay. Unfortunately upon attempting insufflation there was a horrible leak from somewhere within the tower insufflator and we essentially went through an entire tank of CO2 in less than 2 minutes. I ultimately had to abandon the laparoscopic approach, and all of my patients underwent an open cholecystectomy.
Katia is a biomed engineer, a new and recent hire at Loma de Luz, that Jake and I met during our trip back in May. She is currently undertaking the task of cataloging all the equipment at the hospital, determining what works, and attempting to fix what doesn't work. Jake and Katia have been collaborating on the insufflator. Having pulled the machine apart, they had isolated the specific part that needed replaced. I started asking around here in Indiana. I would show pictures of what was needed, and ask how it could be obtained, and be met with blank stares in return. Apparently in the US, whenever something isn't working, the rep is contacted and the company just replaces the whole box. No one had even seen inside the box, so could not help us. But on the other hand... would I like a whole new box? The Stryker rep at Franciscan Lafayette East, had an insufflator in his office, and offered it as a replacement. How can you say no to that? He dropped it off at the office a few days later, and Jake couldn't wait to play with it.
Here Jake is video-chatting with Katia going over some instructions and a few pitfalls that he found. Mission funds will be used to ship the insufflator to the Cornerstone Foundation headquarters in Buloxi, MS where it will be put on the next shipping container down to the hospital in Honduras. From there Katia will hopefully be able to get the tower up and running, ready to take out gallbladders again!
Much Love.
Catching up. Beautiful to see how you and Jake are complementing each other in your 'purpose'.
Wow that it exciting news that God has provided the needed technology for the more effecient surgery! Hope you get good use out of it and more people can feel God's healing through it!