From virtual lectures to hands-on practice, our two day Spinal Surgery Workshop gave more than 25 neurosurgical residents from Bolivia and Paraguay an opportunity to advance their skills.
Read MoreJosé was the first of six patients with complex neurosurgical conditions operated this week at the Santa Bárbara Hospital in Sucre, Bolivia. These surgeries are part of a long-term effort drawing on the contributions of local and U.S. neurosurgeons, neuro-anesthesiologists, neuro-intensivists, and neuro-rehabilitation specialists toward a vision of establishing the Santa Bárbara Hospital as a premier neurotrauma center.
Read MoreA decade ago, there was very little access to endoscopic pituitary surgery in Bolivia, regardless of a patient’s economic status. Today, access to these procedures has grown and expanded across the country.
Read MorePatients suffering strokes and aneurysms in Paraguay may wait months or years for treatment due to a lack of essential but highly specialized endovascular supplies. A generous donation by Stryker delivered during our June mission trip to Asunción is helping make neuro-endovascular care accessible for many such patients.
Read MoreEach day of the Neurology and Neurosurgery Institute mission trip on epilepsy care brings new reminders of the complexity of neurological disorders. Working in collaboration among a team of specialists improves chances for accurate diagnoses and successful treatments.
This week in Bolivia, we are celebrating a major achievement: the first-ever epilepsy surgery performed in the public children’s hospital of Santa Cruz!
Read MoreEpilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases, but three-quarters of people living with epilepsy in low-income countries do not get the treatment they need. Our Neurosurgery and Neurology Institute (NNI) is partnering with colleagues at the public Children’s Hospital in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, to bridge this gap.
Read MoreSolidarity Bridge is pleased to announce the formal adoption of an agreement of cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Paraguay.
Our first three days in Paraguay included a Stroke Symposium, endovascular procedures, a cerebral bypass surgery, a presentation on revascularization, dinner with the Paraguayan Neurosurgical Society, and a two-day workshop on microsurgical bypass skills.
Read MoreHospital Nacional de Itauguá, Paraguay’s primary stroke center, faces multiple barriers to providing timely and effective care. This week, we’re co-hosting a Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disorders Program to support local efforts to fill gaps in stroke treatment skills and resources.
Read MoreOver 60 residents, students, and early-career doctors in Bolivia and Paraguay are participating in a UW-Madison virtual neurosurgery residency program facilitated by the NNI.
Read MoreEnsuring donated biomedical equipment remains in good working order requires access to spare parts and consumables, and biomedical engineers and technicians with the skills to provide ongoing maintenance and repairs. This was the impetus for a recent mission trip organized in partnership with the TriMedX Foundation.
Read MoreAnyone who has witnessed the devastating impact of a traumatic brain injury knows that an integrated approach is needed to care for patients and support their reintegration into society. On a November NNI trip to Hospital Santa Bárbara in Sucre, Bolivia, we expanded our focus to the entire spectrum of care for TBIs.
Read MoreIn Bolivia’s public hospitals, head trauma from traffic accidents, falls, or violence represents a pressing healthcare burden. Head and spine injuries not only affect the long-term quality of life of the injured patient but of entire families and communities.
Read MoreMany trainees in developing countries don’t have access to a practice space for advanced techniques. This drives motivated doctors to move abroad for their educational advancement and contributes to a drain on the medical workforce in low-income countries.
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