As of Saturday November 1 we have completed 58 surgeries. On Monday we performed an additional 16 surgeries for a total of 74.
On Sunday the Rotaplast Team enjoyed a day off with a Cumana City tour and a Beach Party.
Monday was a very busy day and culminated with a bilateral cleft lip surgery on a very cute young lady.
This beautiful surgical work was performed by Dr. Oksana Jackson and her surgical team shown below. The team includes Kathleen Dunleavy (OR Nurse); Dr. Jesus Rondon (Surgeon, Cumana, Venezuela); Dr. Oksana Jackson (Surgeon); Pedro Tovar (OR Nurse); Dr. Denis Jablonka (Anesthesiology); Dr. Tim Conahan (Anesthesiology)
Surgery is performed entirely by hand with the surgeon standing upright for several hours. The final closure is performed with fine surgical sutures. Application involves using a needle with an attached length of thread. The preattached thread eliminates the need to have to thread through an eyehole. The sutures are manipulated by the surgeon with needle holders rather than with fingers as in normal sewing.
We use heat sterilization in an autoclave to process all surgical instruments. Autoclaves use steam heated to 121–134 °C (250–273 °F). To achieve sterility, a holding time of at least 15 minutes at 121 °C (250 °F) at 100 kPa (15 psi) is required.
