Orthopedic Surgical Outreach Thousands of Vietnamese are unable to walk because of debilitating limb deformities from polio, clubfoot and other disabilities with which they are born. Many amputees also need revisions of their amputations because of excessive scar tissue, bone spurs, etc. before they can be comfortably fit with a prosthesis. Yet widespread poverty prevents many of these children and adults from receiving the treatment they need. In response to these orthopedic surgical needs, Prosthetics Outreach Foundation has partnered with the American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) to send teams of experienced orthopedic surgeons from the United States to Vietnam. These surgeons volunteer their services to help disabled children and adults in Vietnam to walk again. U.S. surgeons work side by side with their Vietnamese colleagues to surgically correct limb deformities and revise amputations. The collaboration boosts the Vietnamese doctors' surgical skills in a real-life setting, one of the great benefits of this program.  To facilitate the transfer of medical expertise, POF and AOFAS also organize a large surgical rehabilitation conference in Hanoi each summer. In 2006, more than 200 orthopedic surgeons and other medical personnel attended from throughout Vietnam. Each year, approximately 60 patients receive treatment. "The hardest part is selecting which child will receive the surgery, when there are so many more children hoping to be picked", says POF Board President Robert G. Veith, M.D., who has volunteered for several of the surgical missions to Vietnam. As of 2006, almost 300 disabled children and adults have benefited from this program. More than $150,000 in medical equipment and supplies has been donated. Learn more about POF orthopedic surgical assistance...
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