Twas a busy day and a late evening...

For Orthopod Dr. Ed Masson the day begins with templating the films for the cases that he and Dr. Greg O'Connor have booked. They are adult surgeons -- and today they did a 32 year old woman. She got BILATERAL hip replacements. Her legs were so stiff from advanced arthritis they could barely move apart. How can a woman of that age with children expect to work and raise her kids with such severe arthritis? Sonya did very well -- and she was very stable under the anesthetic for Dr. Sam Stetsko. Nurses Pauline Vatcher, Bernie Johnston, Ann Osinboyejo and Katrina Crnogorac scrubbed and circulated.

Here Charlette Opper RN and Erin Nikolic B.Sc.N admit Maria into our little surgical suite at the Tierra Nueva. Maria's only 12 but she needed a Chiari osteotomy on the second side of her pelvis. CAMTA did the first side last year but thought it better if she grew a year before we did the second side.

This is a great shot of Maria as she is prepared to receive her anesthetic.


On the x-ray box in the pediatric OR are Maria's films. Dr. Jay Jarvis of Ottawa indicates the side that received surgery today. You can see the pins in the side we operated on last year.



Before the surgery began, Eileen Guilfoyle and Patricia Cortes "ham" it up for the camera. Note all those surgical instruments which the team washes and re-sterilizes after each case.




Up on the ward we have from left to right: Nurse Joanne Brown from Winnipeg. Next to her are Dad and daughter. Lesly is 13 and she had a pin adjusted in her ankle. She was a natural to use her crutches. On the right are nurse practioner, Betty Anne Thibodeau and Mom.

Now isn't this a bright cast! What's the story here!

Little David is only 11 months old. Another team operated on his clubfoot a few months ago. But there was a residual deformity that needed correction. Otherwise he wouldn't be able to run and play soccer like the other boys. Here Mom and babe wait because they didn't make it into the OR until about noon time.

I took a quick shot of his feet so you can see the residual deformity for yourself. Note how his left foot turns into towards the other foot.

Surgeons Dr. Luis Piedrihita and Darcy Durand released the contractures and straightened the foot.

The anesthetic consisted of local and caudal blocks plus a general. Dr. Andriy Rodyniuk has been down in Ecuador many times.

Later in the afternoon, baby David was nursing and Mom kindly permitted me to take a picture of the little tyke. He should be home tomorrow.

I couldn't resist adding this great shot of an Ecuadorean child. Vanessa had surgery yesterday on both sides of her pelvis and her left hip. She's doing fine.