Stephen Mulder, MD/Team Templeton

The following post was written by anesthesiologist Stephen Mulder who came to Hopital Adventiste with a group from northern California.  Once again, as surgeons, we greatly appreciate the contribution of good anesthesia coverage at HAH and are excited that Steve and his team are planning a return visit this Fall.

Reg Rice, ENT/facial plastics surgeon (pictured below) from Placerville protects his patients from yet another flying varmit. I think the air intake for the air cooling system connects directly to the outdoors because the most mosquitos I saw were in the OR.

We operated on a couple of very small kids (3 months and 8 months old). One baby had a large vascular tumor on the lip, and the younger kid had a cleft lip defect.  I used 3.5 and 4.0 oral Rae tubes. Sevo mask inductions with LMA till I had IV access. The precordial stethoscope I threw in at the last minute was absolutely vital to getting these cases done safely.  I did my first intraosseous access on the 8 month old. Those little kids with dark skin hide their veins pretty well. The 18 gauge needle on the flat medial surface of the upper tibia seemed too firm at first but I moved a little medial and got the "pop" from the first cortex and it worked great. It was see one, do one, without the "see one" part.

First case...ooops!

The monitors are marginal with no ETCO2 or gas analysis.  That's fine for local and regionals, but we did four or five dressing changes a day and these short cases were not suited for regional and the patients hated the stick in the back, often requesting to NOT have a spinal.  The infant cases that will be common in the future require a higher level of monitoring. I contacted MindRay (they bought out Datascope) on behalf of LLUGH and with their permission sought a bid for 3 new monitors:

This bid includes the Passport V gas analysis with each machine, all the tubing and disposable cuffs, temp probes, all the gear.  The total cost was 51,000 USD, but they made a generous bid for the people of Haiti that came in at $10,000!  LLUGH has agreed to raise 5,000, I'm kicking in some dough into the pot, and we are asking for donations of two to five hundred dollars from each anesthesia volunteer to complete a tour of duty.  It is a great step forward for quality care, and will make our lives much easier.  I hope to have the machines shipped through volunteers traveling to Haiti, and via Alex Sokolov by mid-June.  Please make any donation to LLUGH and designate it for the anesthesia machines.  Thanks!!

There is a lot of good info from previous volunteers.  I would add one thing.  Take time to enjoy the fellowship of terrific people from all over the country that you will have the pleasure of meeting.  I recommend a trip to the Hotel Olaffson.  Take your favorite translator and your new friends and relax in one of the great classic hotels of Port au Prince.  This hotel is about 20 minutes from the hospital and is near the soccer stadium.  It is in a secure compound and has catered for years to the celebrity types and journalists who have made Haiti their haunt. 

 Steve, Victoria, Jenny, and Madeline Mulder

We have a lot more pics, and many miracles and memories to recall, but there are even more waiting for you.  If you are able--do this trip.  We'll see you again in September!!