La Pediatria medica e chirurgica : Medical and surgical pediatrics
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The authors report their surgical experience concerning seriously impaired children due to congenital malformations or other non-congenital anomalies such as burns and traumas. All the patients were operated in one of 13 humanitarian missions undertaken in four developing countries. Throughout the "Third World" the demand for reconstructive surgery is extremely high due to the high birth rate and consequently large number of patients, as well as the shortage of both medical staff and supplies. ⋯ The proportion of emergencies was only 3% as these were normally excluded because of the short duration of the missions. 26 patients had to be reoperated as a result of complications or surgical failure and long-term follow-up provided by either the local staff or as a part of later missions was given in over 70% of the major surgery performed. On the whole, the surgical results were highly satisfactory even if a final evaluation should be made taking the cultural factors and the socio-environmental conditions of each individual country into consideration. Such an evaluation should most importantly be made on the basis of the well-being of the patient, general satisfaction of the families involved and improved quality of life of these children.