Category Archives: Medical tourism in Mexicali

Story updates: Be care my friends, and Mexicali

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It may have been a while since my last post, but I haven’t been idle.  In the last few weeks, I’ve traveled to Mexicali to check in, have some dental work done as well as attending professional conferences and working on my next locum tenens assignment.

Mexicali sign

First – some updates on Mexicali:

I don’t have photos to accompany these updates, but the new emergency department at Hospital General de Mexicali is big, beautiful and open for business.

I also met with both Carlo Bonfante and Dr. Carlos Ochoa to talk about some of the upcoming improvements to the Hospital de la Familia.  Nothing has been completed yet, but they have some big plans to improve services for local residents and medical tourists alike.  I’ll write more when I have the rest of the details.

I also had a chance to catch up with Dr. Horatio Ham (Bariatric surgeon) and Alejandro Ballestereos (Anesthesia).  Dr. Ham reports that Dr. Abril’s radio show has been revived as an internet radio program.

Sadly, Dr. Alberto Aceves, a well-known Mexicali bariatric surgeon died in a private plane crash back in June.

 

My Mexicali dentist: Dr. Luis Israel Quintana

 

Dr. Israel Quintana with one of his American patients

I don’t have dental insurance but I have a history of bruxism (grinding my teeth) so I am pretty fanatical about taking care of my teeth.  I’ve written before about the difficulties in reporting on dental tourism, as well as my previous experiences with Dr. Quintana, so when my dentist at my last locum assignment gave me a work estimate for almost eight thousand dollars!*,  I knew I needed to plan a trip to Mexicali before my next assignment.

photo (12)

I ended up having 12 fillings (no cavities but plenty of damage from grinding), as well as a root canal and a partial crown.  He also made me a new night guard since my old one obviously wasn’t preventing ongoing damage.  While several days in the dentist’s chair was no picnic, I had minimal discomfort and little damage to my wallet.  All told, the bill was less than 1300.  I still need some additional work, but the majority of my teeth are now taken care of.  I don’t have to worry about having a dental emergency while I am working a contract.

Dr. Quintana also reminded me that his office accepts most American insurance plans – with no co-pays or other payment required.

* My initial estimate in Dallas only covered work on four teeth.  The additional surface fillings were not included.

 

Story Update: Please be careful my friends!

baby

Baby making and Planet Hospital: Lots of money and no baby

Some readers may remember the sad story that I received from a childless couple last year.  The couple had contracted with Planet Hospital for surrogacy services after receiving devastating news on the birth of their only child.  The child had been born with a terminal disease (the child later died).  The couple also learned that due to a rare (and previously undetected) genetic condition, it was likely that any future children would also contract this disease.   The couple had started a blog to document their journey into surrogacy, but after several months, it devolved into a story of deception, with the couple being defrauded of thousands and thousands of dollars by one of Planet Hospital’s contracted facilities.

Recently, Planet Hospital and their surrogacy scams made the front page of the print edition of The New York Times.  The story by Tamar Lewin rips the mask off of Rudy Rupak, the shyster I told you about previously.  (I also wrote about his shady transplant tourism practices at the Examiner.com back in 2012).

Surprisingly, the “Medical Travel Quality Alliance,” a branch of the MTA that advocates for “self-regulation” of the medical tourism industry only seems to partially condemn the practice of tourism surrogacy and Rudy Rupak in their latest publications and newsletter.  Of course, anyone with even a few years experience covering medical tourism remembers that Rudy Rupak was the poster child for the medical tourism industry for many years, even after the first rumors of shady business practices emerged in 2010.  Mr. Rupak has since filed for bankrupcy, but knowing of some of the deals Planet Hospital was involved in, I think he should be in prison.

Medical tourism for pets?

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Hello everyone, and season’s greetings from Dallas, Texas!

I am on assignment as a locum tenens for the next several months, so I will be traveling around the United States quite a bit.  In the meantime, this blog post  by Marian Ruiz over at Borderzine caught my eye so I thought I would share.

In the article, Ms. Ruiz interviews Elva Lomas, a California resident who travels to Mexicali for her pet care.  This article drew my attention for a couple of reasons:

1. I know Mexicali, MX.

Mexicali is one of my favorite cities.  I guess it’s an occupational hazard; since Bogotá ranks pretty far up there on my list, as well.

But back to Mexicali –

After spending several months there writing my most recent book, this area of dusty and hard-packed, sun-scorched concrete, asphalt and dry dirt became near and dear to me.

Mexicali sign

2. I have pets.

The other reason this story caught my eye was the part about the animals.  Mexicali was the first time I was able to bring my own pets on one of my writing projects.  Both of our cats, 17 year-old Sid, and 4 year-old Cora came with us for the nine month stay in Mexico.  (We previously transported the cats to the (U.S.)Virgin Islands, and on multiple cross-country car trips, so the cats were veteran travelers, but this was their first international trip.)

Our cats (at our home in Virginia), circa 2010.

Our cats (at our home in Virginia), circa 2010.

Over the course of several months, both of our cats saw veterinarians in Mexicali – including two different ones – on Avenue Maduro and another office, closer to our apartment.  We also went to the veterinary college in Mexicali.

Sid, prior to his final illness

Sid, prior to his final illness

But our experience was a little different from Ms. Lomas and her seven dogs, particularly for our geriatric cat.

In fact, at each clinic, the veterinarian expressed surprise at Sid’s age.    In what turned out to be his final illness, we were forced to go across the border to El Centro, California to get Sid the aggressive, intensive care that he needed.

Sadly, he was too sick and too weak – so we brought him back to Mexicali to our apartment to die.

3. Many Americans have “close” relationships with their pets that maybe considered uncommon in other cultures.

What we found during this experience wasn’t that veterinarians on either side of the border were more or less qualified than the other.  What we found is that the cultural expectations and the role of pets varied significantly by country.  (I am certain that a case could be made that there were several other factors as well – such as our familial and socio-economic status).

For our vet in Mexicali – Sid was our beloved pet, and they were happy to offer compassionate and competent care.   For our vet in El Centro – he understood that like many childless, middle-class couples, Sid was more than a pet – he was family.  [Not everyone feels that way about their pets – but all of us know people who do.. However, not all cultures view this ‘child-pet’ attitude as indulgently as we do.]   This meant that the vet offered more services and treatments (like emergency dialysis, and mechanical ventilation) for our ailing, long-term companion that they did at the vets’ offices in Mexicali.

In the end, it didn’t make a difference, after 17 years, my cat was at the end of his life.  We didn’t put him on dialysis, or advanced life support.  Instead, we made him as comfortable as possible and watched him slip away from us, surrounded by people who loved him (my husband and my dear friend).

The cultural context of care

But the focus of this story isn’t about pets, veterinary care or Mexico at all.  It’s more about the importance of cultural context and cultural values related to health care.  In fact, one of the reasons that I focus on health care / medical tourism in Latin America is due to concerns over differences in cultural expectations related to health care.

Life support despite medical futility as a cultural expectation*

In general, these differences are minimized for people from the United States when they receive care from Latin American providers due to similar cultural backgrounds and cultural expectations.   (A good example that highlights the differences in healthcare related to culture that is often cited in the literature has to do with end-of-life and ‘futile care‘.)  This is care that may be very expensive to provide – and may actually do nothing to prolong life.  It’s one of the hallmarks (or pitfalls) of American healthcare.  But then again, it’s only a pitfall, or ‘wasteful spending’ when it’s not your family member.

Translated this ‘futile care’ means that in most parts of Northern America, metropolitan areas of Latin America, people may receive treatments (like dialysis, prolonged mechanical ventilation/ or other artificial ‘life support’) despite having minimal or a low or no chance of survival.  Ethicists can debate the issues related to the use of limited or scarce resources to keep someone’s elderly grandmother, or extreme ‘preemie” baby alive, but for the most part – doctors (and patients) in Bogotá, Mexico City, Dallas, Texas or Washington, D.C.  all want the same level of care and are willing to provide some level of this care, even when doctors feel it may be futile in nature.  It is part of the culture, and the cultural expectation shared by most patients.

However, if you contrast that with other common medical destinations (by country, not facility), the answer is not always the same.  If the average life expectancy/ infant mortality / or level of available technology is dramatically different, than the cultural expectation of “appropriate care” may be very different.  That isn’t to say that the doctors or families of patients in these countries care about their patients any less.  However, it may translate to a very different level of care in similar circumstances.

For example, I currently work in a surgical program that specializes in providing valve replacement (cardiac) surgery to the extreme elderly (patients in their late 80’s and early 90’s).  In other cultures and societies, expensive and scarce medical resources would not be allotted as freely to this group of patients.  It’s one of the concerns in our own country with the advent of ‘Obamacare’ or a socialized medicine schemata, and it is a legitimate one.

Whether or not we consider it right or appropriate to offer this level of care to high risk groups is often debatable, but as Americans we take it for granted – that we have the right to decide this for ourselves.  We might not be as happy if it’s not offered (or available) to us as medical tourists somewhere else.

*This field of study is a subspecialty of Sociology – while it’s not scientific, the linked description on wikipedia may be helpful for readers who want a basic overview on some of the ways culture affects health beliefs and behaviors.

Health insurance and medical tourism

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Medical tourism is for boob jobs, liposuction and poor people without insurance

Many people think medical tourism is only for people without health insurance.. Or people seeking treatments or procedures that aren’t covered by the typical health insurance policy (like some types of plastic surgery.)

But that’s not true.

While medical tourism is often a ‘saving grace’ for the uninsured and underinsured patients in the United States, other medical tourists are often referred to overseas practices by their insurance companies.

Insurance companies want to save money too..

Insurance companies collect premiums from their subscribers.  When subscribers need care, the companies pay out claims at pre-set rates for services.  Companies negotiate for ‘volume discounts’ for many services but use several other strategies to make a profit while meeting their commitments to subscribers.

Paying for services while balancing the bottom line

They balance claim payout with profit-making several ways;

1. Deny claims.   One of the ways insurance companies can save money on claims – is to not pay them… So companies may deny certain claims or by limit access to care for subscribers with expensive pre-existing conditions.  (The New ‘Obamacare’ legislation is aimed at preventing this practice, but we won’t know how effective it is for a couple of years).

2.  Promote health ..Many insurance companies also offer incentives to their subscribers for health promotion activities.  Quit smoking?  Lose weight?  Exercising daily?  Then the insurance company might even lower your premium a bit – since these activities may reduce their future payouts.

3.  Use less costly services.   Another way insurance companies can reduce their payouts is through medical tourism.  Since surgery is significantly less expensive outside of the United States, it benefits the insurance company to have patients travel for services.  So – even if your insurance company doesn’t advertise (loudly) its medical tourism division, it probably has one.

If you aren’t sure – do a little on-line research and call your insurer. Sometimes the insurer will even offer subscribers an incentive for traveling.

and even if your insurance wants to send you to India – they will probably pay for you to go to Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica or wherever you chose.

But, if you are like me, you still have some questions.. How difficult is it to file a claim internationally?  Is it more difficult for Americans to have their claims processed in other countries?  How long does it take for claims to be processed and paid? Do patients need to start researching and preparing their claim ahead of time?

Meet Myriam

While I was in Mexicali – I took advantage of the opportunity to interview someone who negotiates with American insurance companies every day.  Myriam is an insurance billing specialist for a bariatric surgeon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Meet Myriam.

Meet Myriam.

The bilingual Myriam has been processing international health insurance claims for over 12 years now.  She laughs out loud when I ask about processing claims for American patients.  “Those are the easiest,” she said.  “The companies are happy to pay.  They never give us any problems.”

As part of her job, Myriam helps patients with information and files their insurance claims.  Myriam explains that as part of the claims process for bariatric surgery, for example, claims must be filed when the patient is actually in the hospital.   “The insurance company requires us to submit the claim at the time of service, not before.”

[So in this practice],” we have the patient provide us with a credit card prior to the procedure.  We don’t bill it without speaking to the patient but that way we can use the credit card for the deductible or co-pay.   Insurance usually pays within 60 days of the procedure, Myriam explains.  If you aren’t sure if your insurance carrier will cover the claim, call them ahead of time.

In the operating room with Dr. Gustavo Gaspar Blanco

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Dr. Gustavo Gaspar, plastic surgeon

Dr. Gustavo Gaspar, plastic surgeon

In the operating room with Dr. Gustavo Gaspar Blanco

Hospital de la Familia,

Mexicali, B.C.

Mexico

After interviewing Dr. Gaspar, he graciously invited me to join him in the operating room as an observer for several cases during the week.

Hospital de la Familia

As reviewed in the Mexicali! mini-guide to medical tourism, Hospital de la Familia is widely acknowledged as “the second best hospital in Mexicali.”  Much like the Hertz automobile rental campaign “We try harder,” the directors of Hospital de la Familia have embarked on an aggressive publicity campaign to attract patients and physicians to their facility.  This includes medical tourism – as Hospital de la Familia has partnerships with multiple brokers including PlacidWay and Planet Hospital.

Dr. Gaspar exclusively operates at Hospital de la Familia.

In the ORs at Hospital de la Familia

OR #3 is the plastic surgery suite.  It is spacious and well-lit with modern and functional equipment.  Along with a designated OR, Dr. Gaspar has an operating room team consisting of an anesthesiologist, an assistant surgeon, scrub nurse and circulating nurse.

Dr. Gaspar and his OR team

Dr. Gaspar and his OR team

Anesthesia is managed by Dr. Armando Gonzalez Alvarez.  He monitors the patient with due diligence and remains in attendance at all times.  He avoids distractions during surgery (like texting or excessive cell phone use) and remains patient-focused.

Dr. Gonzalez Alvarez, Anesthesiologist

Dr. Gonzalez Alvarez, Anesthesiologist

Dr. Binicio Leon Cruz, is a general surgeon who serves as Dr. Gaspar’s assistant surgeon during the case.  Monica Petrix Bustamante is the instrumentadora (scrub nurse), and she is excellent, as always*. She knows the surgeries, easily anticipates the doctors’ needs while maintaining surgical sterility and ensuring patient safety.

Monica prepares a prosthesis for implantation

Monica prepares a prosthesis for implantation

Adherence to international protocols

The majority of procedures are under an hour in length, which means that patients do not need deep vein prophylaxis during surgery.  The procedure (including site) and patient identity are confirmed prior to surgery with active patient participation before the patient receives anesthesia with both surgeons, nursing staff and the anesthesiologist in attendance.  Patients are then prepped and draped in sterile fashion, with care taken to prevent patient injury.

As with many plastic surgeons, Dr. Gaspar does not administer IV antibiotics for infection prophylaxis prior to the first incision.  Instead, all patients receive a course of oral antibiotics after surgery***.

Surgical sterility is maintained throughout surgery.  For the first case, after receiving adequate tissue preparation, since only limited liposuction is needed (for very specific sculpting), the patient receives manual liposuction (without suction) to prevent overcorrection or excess fat removal.  Despite having significant adhesions due to previous liposuction procedures, there is very minimal bleeding during the procedure.

Following the procedure, the patient is awakened, extubated and transferred to the recovery room for hemodynamic monitoring and adequate recovery prior to discharge.

Throughout the case, (and during all subsequent checks in the PACU), the patient is hemodynamically stable, and maintains excellent oxygenation.

The second case, is a breast augmentation revision – in a patient with a previous breast reconstruction after mastectomy for breast cancer.  The patient developed a capsular contracture which required surgical revision**.

Abdominoplasty

On a separate occasion, Dr. Gustavo Gaspar performed an abdominoplasty with minor liposuction of the “saddle bag” area at the top of the thighs.  For the abdominoplasty case, the patient received conscious sedation with spinal anesthesia.

While an abdominoplasty, “tummy tuck” is a much larger procedure, the case proceeded quickly (1 hour 15 minutes), and uneventfully.  There was very minimal bleeding, and excellent cosmetic results.

skin, and adipose tissue removed during abdominoplasty.

skin, and adipose tissue removed during an abdominoplasty

Gluteal augmentation (Gluteoplasty)

However, it was the gluteal augmentation case that attracted the most interest.  As mentioned during a previous interview, Dr. Gaspar is well-known throughout Mexico for his gluteal implantation technique.

Pre-surgical planning

Pre-surgical planning

Due to the proximity to the anus, and potential for wound infection and contamination, the area is prepped in a multi-step process, in addition to the standard surgical scrub.  A Xoban (iodine impregnated dressing) is applied to the area to prevent bacterial migration to the area around the incision.

For this procedure, Dr. Gaspar uses gluteal prostheses for intramuscular implantation.  Using one, small 3 cm incision, Dr. Gaspar dissects through the gluteal tissue to the muscle plane.  He then inserts the prosthesis and adjusts it into its final position.  When he has finished placing the implant, it is buried deep in the tissue and invisible.

after the implant is placed within the muscle it is invisible to the eye

after the implant is placed within the muscle it is invisible to the eye

He explains that by placing the prostheses in the intramuscular layer, the implants remain in a stable position, and are invisible to the eye and imperceptible to the touch.  (Even with movement and manipulation – there is no edge or pocket seen or felt after the gluteal prosthesis is placed).

The procedure is repeated on the opposite side.  Two small drains are placed, and the incision is closed.  The entire procedure has taken just 18 minutes.

incision and drains at the conclusion of surgery

incision and drains at the conclusion of surgery

Despite the speed by which Dr. Gaspar operates, he is meticulous in his approach. He frequently re-assesses during the procedure (particularly during bilateral procedures) to ensure symmetry of results.

*I frequently encountered Ms. Petrix during previous visits to the operating rooms at Hospital de la Familia during research and writing of the Mexicali book).

** Capsular contraction is one of the most frequently occurring complications of breast augmentation using breast prosthesis (implants).

*** this practice is somewhat controversial but the most recent surgical guidelines and literature on antibiotic stewardship suggest that pre-operative antibiotics may be unnecessary for some surgical procedures.

Thank you to the kind patient who graciously gave permission for publication of pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative photographs on this site.

Additional readings: Gluteoplasty

The majority of publications originate in Latin America and Latin American journals (and are written in Spanish and Portuguese.)  Here is a small selection of open-access, English language journals.

Bruner, T. W., Roberts, T. L. & Nguyen, K. (2006).  Complications of buttocks augmentation: Diagnosis, management and prevention.  Clin Plastic Surg 33: 449 – 466.

Cardenas – Camarena, L. (2005). Various surgical techniques for improving body contour.  Aesth. Plast. Surg. 29:446-455.

Cardenas- Camerena, L. & Palliet, J. C. (2007).  Combined gluteoplasty: Liposuction and gluteal implants.  PRS Journal, 119(3): 1067 – 1074.  Part of a series on gluteal augmentation.

Harrison, D. & Selvaggi, G. (2006). Gluteal augmentation surgery: indications and surgical management.  JPRAS 60:922-928.

Talking with Dr. Gustavo Gaspar Blanco, plastic surgeon

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Dr. Gustavo Gaspar Blanco, plastic surgeon

Gaspar 083

Dr. Gustavo Gaspar Blanco is a plastic surgeon in Mexicali (Baja California) Mexico.  He is well-known throughout Baja and Northern Mexico for his gluteal augmentation techniques using gluteal implants.  While this is one of the procedures he is most famous for, he also performs the complete range of body, facial plastic surgery procedures, and post-bariatric reconstructive surgery.

It was an engaging series of interviews as Dr. Gaspar is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about his craft.  “Plastic surgery is different from other specialties, it is an art.  The surgeon needs to have an eye for beauty and symmetry in addition to surgical skill.”

To read more about Dr. Gaspar in the operating room.

Gluteal Implants versus Fat Grafting

There are multiple methods of gluteal augmentation (or buttock enhancement).  Dr. Gaspar performs both fat grafting and gluteal implantation procedures.  He prefers gluteal implantation for patients who are very thin (and have limited fat tissue available for grafting) or for patients who want longer-lasting, more noticeable enhancements.   (With all fat injection procedures, a portion of the fat is re-absorbed).

He recommends fat grafting procedures to patients who want a more subtle shaping, particularly as part of a body sculpting plan in conjunction to liposuction.

Breast Implants and attention to detail

Like most plastic surgeons, breast augmentation is one of the more popular procedures among his patients.  The vast majority of his patients receive silicone implants (by patient request), and Dr. Gaspar reports improved patient satisfaction with appearance and feel with silicone versus saline implants.  He uses Mentor and Natrelle brand implants, and is very familiar with these products.  In fact, he reports that he has visited the factories that create breast implants in Ireland and Costa Rica.  He says he visited these factories due to his own curiosity and questions about breast implants**.

Once he arrived, he found that each implant is made by a time-consuming one at a time process versus a vast assembly line as he had envisioned.  He was able to see the quality of the different types of implants during the manufacturing process.  These implants, which range from $800.00 to $1200.00 a piece, go through several stages of preparation before being completed and processed for shipping.  He also watched much of the testing process which he found very interesting in light of the history of controversy and concern over previous silicone implant leakage in the United States (during the 1960’s – 1970’s).

Gaspar 061

Another aspect of breast augmentation that Dr. Gaspar discusses during my visits is the breast implantation technique itself.  While there are several techniques, in general, he uses the over-the-muscle technique for the majority of breast implantation procedures.  He explains why, and demonstrates with one of his patients (who had the under-the-muscle technique with another surgeon, and now presents for revision).

“While the under-the-muscle technique remains very popular with many surgeons, the results are often less than optimal.  Due to the position of the muscle itself, and normal body movements (of the shoulders/ arms), this technique can cause unattractive rippling and dimpling of the breast.  In active women, it can actually displace the implant downward from pressure caused by normal muscle movements during daily activities.  This may permanently damage, displace or even rupture the implant.”

Instead, he reserves the under-the-muscle implant for specific cases, like post-mastectomy reconstruction.  In these patients (particularly after radiation to the chest), the skin around the original mastectomy incision is permanently weakened, so these patients need the additional support of the underlying muscle to prevent further skin damage.

Not just about outcomes

While his clients, from all over North America, are familiar with his plastic surgery results, few of them are aware of his deep commitment to maintaining the highest ethical and medical standards while pursing excellence in surgery.

Commitment to ethical care of patients crosses language barriers

While Dr. Gaspar is primarily Spanish-speaking, his commitment to ethical practice is crystal clear in any language.  He explains these ethical principles while offering general guidelines for patients that I will share here (the principles are his, the writing style is my own).

Advice for patients seeking plastic surgery

Be appropriate:

– Patients need to be appropriate candidates for surgery: 

Around fifty percent all of the people who walk into the office are not appropriate candidates for plastic surgery, for a variety of reasons.  Dr. Gaspar feels very strongly about this saying, “Unnecessary or inappropriate surgery is abusive.”

– Plastic surgery is not a weight-loss procedure.  Liposuction/ Abdominoplasty is not a weight loss procedure.  Plastic surgery can refine, but not remake the physique.  Obese or overweight patients should lose weight prior to considering refining techniques like abdominoplasty which can be used to remove excess or sagging skin after large-scale weight loss.

fat removed during liposuction procedure

fat removed during liposuction procedure

  – Have surgery for appropriate reasons.  Plastic surgery will not make someone love you.  It won’t fix troubled relationships, serious depression or illness.  Plastic surgery, when approached with realistic expectations (#3) can improve self-esteem and self-confidence.

– Realistic expectations – just as plastic surgery won’t result in a 25 pound weight loss, or bring back a wayward spouse, it can’t turn back the clock completely, or radically remake someone’s appearance.  There is a limit to what procedures can do; for the majority people, no amount of surgery is going to make them into supermodels.

– Know the limitations

Not only are there limits to what surgery itself can do, there are limits to the amounts of procedures that people should have, particularly during one session.  “Marathon/ Extreme Makeovers” make for exciting television but are a dangerous practice.

Stay Safe:

Just as patients should avoid marathon or multi-hour, multiple procedure surgeries, patients should stay safe.

–          Avoid office procedures

As Dr. Gaspar says, “The safest place for patients is in the operating room.” With the exception of Botox, all plastic surgery procedures should be performing the operating room, not the doctor’s office.  This is because the operating room is a sterile, well-prepared environment with adequate supplies and support staff.  There are monitors to help surgeons detect the development of potential problems, life-saving drugs and resuscitation (rescue) equipment on hand. Should a patient stop breathing, start bleeding or develop a life-threatening allergic reaction (among other things), the operating room (and operating room staff) are well prepared to take care of the patient.

Communicate with your surgeon –

Give your surgeon all the details s/he needs to keep you safe, and have a successful surgery.  Talk about more than the surgeries you are interested in –

– bring a list of all of your medications

– know a detailed history including all past medical problems/ conditions and surgeries.

If you had heart surgery ten years ago – that’s relevant, even if you feel fine now.  Have a history of previous blood transfusions/ radiation therapy/ medication reactions?  Be sure to tell the doctor all about it.

Even if you aren’t sure if it matters, “My sister had a blood clot after liposuction” – go ahead and mention it.. It might just be a critical piece of information such as a family predisposition to thromboembolism (like the example above).

Lastly

Surgical complications are a part of surgery.  All surgeons have them – and having a surgical complication in and of itself is no indication of the quality or skill of the surgeon.  Complications can occur for a variety of reasons.

However, how efficiently and effectively the surgeon treats that complication is a good indicator of skill, experience and expertise.

As part of this, Dr. Gaspar stresses that medical tourism patients need to prepare to stay until they have reached an adequate stage of recovery.  This prevents the development of complications and allows the surgeon to rapidly treat a problem if it develops; before it become more serious.

“There is no set time limit for my patients after surgery, everyone is different.  But none of my patients can go [return home] until I give my approval.”  This philosophy applies to more than just medical tourists from far off destinations. It also applies to any patients have large procedures and their hospitalizations.  While many surgeons race to discharge clients as same-day surgery patients, Dr. Gaspar has no hesitation in keeping a patient hospitalized if he has any concerns regarding their recovery. “Hospitals are the best places for my patients, if I am concerned about their recovery.”

About Dr. Gustavo Gaspar Blanco, MD

Plastic and reconstructive surgeon

Av. Madero 1290 y Calle E

Plaza de Espana, suite 17 (second floor)

Mexicali, B.C

Tele: (686) 552 – 9266

If calling from the USA: 1 (877) 268 4868

Email: gustavo@drgaspar.com

Dr. Gaspar attended medical school at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara.  He completed both his general surgery residency and plastic surgery fellowship in Mexico City at the Hospital de Especialidades Centro Medico La Raza.

He is a board certified plastic surgeon by the Mexican Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, license number #601.  He has been performing plastic surgery for over 20 years.  Surgeons from areas all over Mexico train with Dr. Gaspar to learn his gluteal implantation techniques.

** He has also visited the facilities in Germany where the Botulism toxin is prepared for cosmetic/ and medical use.

Spending the day with Dr. Gabriel Ramos, Oncology Surgeon

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Spent the day in the operating rooms with one of my favorite Mexican surgeons, Dr. Gabriel Ramos Orozco.  Dr. Ramos is an oncology surgeon with offices in Mexicali (Baja California) and his hometown of San Luis Rio del Colorado in Sonora, Mexico.

Dr. Gabriel Ramos Orozco, Oncology Surgeon

Dr. Gabriel Ramos Orozco, Oncology Surgeon

In the operating room with Dr. Gabriel Ramos

We spent the day in his hometown – first at the Hospital Santa Margarita, where he performed a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and then in his offices seeing patients.

In the operating room

In the operating room – photos edited to preserve patient privacy

Hospital Santa Marta

The hospital itself was a small intimate clinic.  The operating rooms were small but well-equipped.  We were joined by Dr. Campa, an excellent anesthesiologist and another general surgeon.  While the anesthesia equipment was dated, all of the equipment was functional.  At one point, the sensors for cardiac monitoring and oxymetry readings malfunctioned but within seconds a backup monitor was attached.  (This is a frequent occurrence in most hospitals around the world and the USA because the sensors that connect to the patient with gel are cheap disposable and somewhat fragile.)

There were several monitors dedicated to laparoscopy with good display quality.  The operating rooms had ample light and functioned well. Overall the clinic was very clean.

ramos surgery

The surgery itself proceeded in classic fashion.  The patient was positioned appropriately and safely before being prepped and draped in sterile fashion.  Since the surgery itself was of short duration, anti-embolic / DVT prophylaxis was not required but was still applied.  (Note:  in Mexico, these stockings are of limited utility – and for more lengthy procedures, TEDS or electronic squeezing devices are usually applied.)

The surgery itself was under an hour, with no bleeding or other complications. The patient was then transferred to the post-operative care area for monitored recovery from general anesthesia.

Dr. Ramos performs laparoscopic surgery

Dr. Ramos performs laparoscopic surgery

In the clinic

It was an interesting day – because he sees a diverse mix of patients.  As a general surgeon, he also operates for many of the classic indications, so there were several patients who saw Dr. Ramos for post-operative visits after appendectomies, cholecystomies (gallbladder removal) and the like.  There was also a mix of patients with more serious conditions like colon, testicular and breast cancers.  His patients were a cross section of people, from the United States and Mexico alike.

International patients

Some of these patients came for the lower cost of treatment here in Mexico, but others came due to the dearth of specialty physicians like oncology surgeons in places like Yuma and Las Vegas.  Many of these international patients spoke Spanish, or brought translators with them since Dr. Ramos is primarily Spanish speaking.

Since D. Ramos is not well-known outside of Mexico, many of these patients were referred by word-of-mouth, by former patients, friends and family.

Then it was back to the hospital twice to visit his patient post-operative.  She was resting comfortably and doing well.  It is this level of service that draws patients to his clinic both here and in central Mexicali.

This winter, Dr. Ramos returns to school so to speak – as he will be spending several months in Barcelona, Spain and Colombia learning new techniques such as uni-port laparoscopy.  He will then be able to offer these state-of-the-art treatments to his patients back here at home; whether these patients come from northern Mexico or other parts of the globe.

Highly Recommended:  Excellent surgeon with well-coordinated team.  However, patients requiring more extensive surgery (large tumor surgeries/ cytoreductive surgery) should request Dr. Ramos perform surgery in the larger Mexicali facilities for better access to advanced and specialized support services like hemodialysis etc. for sicker/ higher risk patients. 

However, the level of care was appropriate at this facility for this procedure, which is rated as low-risk.  (i.e. generally healthy patient, with straight-forward procedure)

In the operating room with Dr. Enrique Davalos Ruiz, Neurosurgeon

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Dr. Enrique Davalos Ruiz, Neurosurgeon

Spent the morning in the operating room with Dr. Davalos.  As we discussed in a previous post, Dr. Davalos is one of just a few neurosurgeons here in Mexico to specialize in both adult and pediatric neurosurgery procedures.  He performs a wide range of procedures such surgery for cerebral tumors, spinal bifida, hydrocephalus, trauma, spinal surgery and epilepsy.  But one of the procedures he is best-known for here in Mexicali is the surgical repair of craniosynostosis.  However, if you’ve ever watched this intricate procedure – ‘repair’ really isn’t the word that comes to mind to describe the procedure.  ‘Rebuild’ is much more appropriate.

Craniosynostosis is a congenital cranial deformity caused by the premature fusion of the cranial sutures.  (These sutures allow for the babies head to be slightly compressed during natural childbirth).  Many new moms can attest that their neonate’s head was temporarily ‘squashed’ looking at birth, but normalize over the first few days as the bones relax into their natural position.  In normal development, these sutures (or ridges where the bones come together) are not yet fused  – and fuse over the first few months of life.

When the bones that comprise the skull fuse early, it can result in a significant cranial abnormality.  (Luckily, in most cases of [primary] craniosynostosis – the patient’s brain functions normally despite this.)

To treat this surgically, Dr. Davalos had to essentially rebuild part of the skull (the coronal sections of the parietal and frontal bones).   He did this by removing and reshaping the skull in separate sections and then rejoining the pieces to conform to a more natural shape.  (As a someone who sews, it reminded me of lacing a corset to get curved shaping).   In a child of this age – the bones should fuse/ heal within approximately six weeks – with no long term limitations for activities.

Sterility was maintained during the case, and everything proceeded in a rapid and appropriate fashion.  Anesthesia was proficient during the case, with excellent hemodynamic stability and oxygenation.

Dr. Davalos beveling a portion of the skull

Dr. Enrique Davalos Ruiz, MD

Pediatric and Adult Neurosurgery specialist

Calle B No 248

entre Av. Reforma and Obregon

Zona Centro

Mexicali, B. C.

In the OR with Dr. Ramos & Talking with Dr. Enrique Davalos Ruiz, Neurosurgeon

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Interesting day today – as I travelled across a wide range of specialties in just a few short blocks.  I started out this afternoon in thoracic surgery with the good doc seeing patients in clinic, then off to IMSS to watch a Whipple procedure (pancreatoduodenectomy) with Dr. Gabriel Ramos.   (The Whipple procedure would be the ‘open heart’ surgery of the general/ oncology surgery specialty – it’s a complex, complicated and involved procedure – so, naturally, I loved every minute of it!)

Dr. Gabriel Ramos & Dr. Maria Rivera

Some of you will recognize the absolutely delightful Dr. Maria Rivera from one of our pictures last week (on facebook) – in which she was an absolute stunner.

Not an everyday photo – but then that case was pretty breathtaking too – (when I finish writing about it, I will post a link.)

Dr. Elias Garcia Flores, who I met briefly last week was there too.. (Of course, I didn’t recognize him since he had a mask on this time.)

Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay because I had a previous appointment to interview Dr. Enrique Davalos Ruiz, a local neurosurgeon.  He turned out to very charming and interesting..

He’s the only neurosurgeon specializing in pediatric and adult neurosurgeon for all of Baja California and Sonora.  (I’ll write more about him soon – I am hoping to head to the operating room with him next week.) He’s pretty busy working at IMSS and Hospital General de Mexicali, in addition to private practice but he didn’t seem to mind taking time to talk to me.

In the operating room with Dr. Martin Juzaino

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This post is a little overdue since I was out of town for a few days.. I missed the 115 degree temps and I missed Mexicali too..

Dr. Juzaino (left) and Dr. Rivera

Usually, I go to surgery after I’ve spoken to the surgeon, and talked to them for a while but in this case – I had heard of Dr. Juzaino (after all – he practices at Hospital General de Mexicali) but couldn’t find a way to contact him – he’s not in the yellow pages, and no one seemed to have his number..

So I just hung out and waited for him when I saw his name on the surgery schedule. He was supernice, and invited me to stay and watch his femoral – popliteal bypass surgery.  Case went beautifully – leg fully revascularized at the end of the case.   Patient was awake during the case but appeared very comfortable.

intern during surgery

There was a beautiful intern in the surgery – her face was just luminous so I couldn’t resist taking a picture.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get her name, and no one recognizes her because of the mask – so I am hoping some one from the OR recognizes her here.. I’d like to send her a copy of the picture.. (and get permission to post it..)

Saw Lupita Dominguez – who in the role of nursing instructor that day.  She is always so delightful – I need to get a picture of her with out the mask so all of you can see her -besides being an outstanding nurse, and nursing instructor,  she is just the friendliest, sweetest person with cute freckles to boot.. (I am very envious of people with freckles..)

On another note entirely, here’s some more information about the ethical implications of transplant tourism for my interested readers as follow up to my Examiner.com article.  It’s a video of lectures by one of the leading ethicists and transplant surgeons, Dr. Delmonico.. (yes, like the steak.)

Mexicali and Medical Tourism

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As I mentioned in a post earlier this week, the New York Times article  by Jennifer Medina has really gotten Mexicali officials to sit up and take notice.  The NYT article was just one part of a ‘medical tourism plan’ outlined by the mayor of Mexicali and other government officials.

turismo medico

city of Mexicali

Right now the outline consists of several points:

1. Guide to medical services – they have published a book with the names and addresses of surgeons interested in participating in medical tourism.

2. Transportation – mainly by automobile and buses.  The medical tourism lane at the border was part of this.

3. A plan for a 32 block medical tourism zone.

A good start, and it shows forethought – but as I listened to their outline it prompted my own (humble) suggestions:

1. Medical guide – make this a ‘real’ guide not a phone book of surgeons and providers offering their services.  It should be comprehensive, and offer more than just names and addresses, ideally written as an independent review.. But then take the risk that maybe everything, and every service won’t come out shining..   (Admittedly, this is something I understand the best).

2. Transportation – consider approaching Volaris or another carrier to offer direct flights once or twice a week from Las Vegas, Dallas and Los Angeles.  Right now there are no direct flights from Mexicali to the United States.  By offering direct flights – Mexicali could be much more competitive with both Tijuana and Las Vegas (which is pursuing its own medical tourism strategy to make Las Vegas a medical tourism destination.)  This would play to Mexicali’s two biggest strengths:

1.  It’s proximity to the United States

2.  It’s reputation as a ‘safe’ destination in comparison to Tijuana and other border cities which have their own medical tourism ideas..

It would also open up Mexicali to a much wider market since both Dallas and Los Angeles is a hub for several American carriers serving Canada and the USA.

2. Consider changing the 32 block ‘medical tourism zone’ into one large facility offering dedicated service lines.  While all the small private hospitals in Mexicali will hate this idea – instead of fighting over patients, they would have the advantage of having one large facility with pooled resources.

This would also address the weaknesses of medical tourism in Mexicali: Right now each facility has five (or two) ICU beds, and just 10 or so post-operative beds.  It would also eliminate some of the waste caused by the costly duplication of services – since each hospital currently struggles to offer CT scans, cath facilities and other costly equipment.  As part of a long-range plan – this would better enable the providers and facilities in Mexicali to seek outside accreditation/ and certification of programs and service lines, which in turn would attract more patients.

In the meantime, participating hospitals could convert to specialty facilities (ie. an orthopedic hospital, and plastic surgery center etc.) while the new facility is being built.  This would also reduce the stress on doctors traveling all over town to see just one or two patients at each facility.. If medical tourism really gets going here – these doctors are going to need as much time as they can get; caring for patients..

The centralized large hospital would also enable people like Dr. Vasquez to really get his cardiac surgery program off the ground.  More specialized ancillary services like physical and rehabilitative services would also be pooled and would improve the quality of services in the city, for everyone, including the people of Mexicali who also suffer from the lack of large, comprehensive facilities.   This also brings me to my next point –

3.  Since the city and government of Mexicali is involved in the project – there needs to be a clear and comprehensive plan about how the revenue from this project is going to serve the people of Mexicali.  After all – their tax dollars are helping to fund this ingress into medical tourism, so they need to get something out of it.. Like a PET scanner or some other service that doesn’t currently exist in Mexicali.

4. Don’t forget the rest of Baja – there are an awful lot of retirees and such living in southern Baja – so make sure they know about what your city has to offer.  These people need hip replacements, heart surgery and a whole spectrum of services that are very limited in their geographic area.  Give them a reason to come to Mexicali instead of Ensenada or Tijuana by courting their business.

If anyone from Mexicali reads this post – I hope they can see my suggestions, in the spirit that they are given.  Mexicali has a lot of opportunity here, and the potential to be a great place for a wide range of medical tourism – not just bariatrics and plastic surgery, but they need more comprehensive, and long-range strategies to put their plans into action.

Today was a great example of how much the city has accomplished by working together – with a little more work, and a lot of vision – Mexicali could really go far, and provide great services to more than just a bunch of gringos..

Meet Lupita Dominguez, surgical nurse

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Had an amazing day yesterday – one of those days that reminds you how much we can do in medicine when we all work together.  I am hoping to write it up as a case study – if not – I will tell you more about it here.  (The patient was exceedingly gracious when I asked permission.)

But this morning, I was back in the operating room with Dr. Cuauhtemoc Vasquez.  (If he is tired of me – he sure doesn’t let on..)

I finally had the opportunity to get some of the pictures I’ve been trying to get on every visit to his OR – to show readers the heart, and the pulse of cardiac surgery..

There’s a running joke in Mexicali – if you need help in the operating room, any operating room, in any of the hospitals in the city; just holler for Lupita because she’s always there.

Introducing Lupita Dominguez, surgical nurse

All kidding aside on the popularity of the name “Lupita” among operating room personnel, there is just one Lupita that I would like to talk about today,  Lupita Dominguez, who is Dr. Vasquez’s surgical nurse.  In the months, and the numerous occasions that I have been a guest in Dr. Vasquez’s operating room, I’ve had the opportunity to observe and appreciate the hard-working Lupita.

Lupita Dominguez with Dr. Vasquez

Teacher, Coordinator and Mind-Reader

Most people don’t know it – but Lupita has the hardest job in the operating room, and probably (in Mexico) the most poorly paid.   They say a good scrub nurse has the instrument in the surgeon’s hand before he knows he needs it – and from what I’ve seen, that’s Lupita.  She’s here an hour earlier than the rest of the surgical team, getting everything ready, and she’ll be here after everyone else escorts the patient to the intensive care unit.

Here she is, a blur of motion as she takes care of everyone at the operating room table

As I watch again today, she is ‘running the table’ and anticipating the needs of not just one demanding cardiac surgeon, and an additional surgeon, but also one surgical intern, and another student.  With all of these people crowded at the table, she still has to follow the surgery, anticipate everyone’s needs and keep track of all the instruments and supplies in use.  In the midst of this maelström, the scrub nurse has to ensure that everyone else maintains sterility while preventing surgical instruments from being knocked to the floor, or otherwise misplaced (a difficult task at times).

Here she is demonstrating how to correctly load the needle, and pass sharp instruments

She’s forever in motion which has made taking the few photos of her a difficult endeavor; She’s shaving ice for cardioplegia, while listening to the circulator, adjusting the OR lights, and gently guiding the apprentices.  She’s so gentle in her teaching methods that the student doesn’t even realize she’s being led, and relaxes enough to learn.  This is no easy task, particularly since it’s just the beginning of the July, and while bright-eyed, pleasant and enthusiastic, the new surgical resident is inexperienced.  Her own student nurse, is two parts shy, but helpful enough that near the end of the case, (and the first time since I’ve known her), Lupita actually stops for a moment and flashes me a wave when she sees the camera faced in her direction.  I’m surprised, but I manage to capture it.

a very rare moment – Lupita takes a millisecond to say hello

She is endlessly busy, but ever uncomplaining – even when a scheduled surgery takes an unexpected turn and extends to twelve or even fourteen hours.  Bladder straining perhaps, baby-sitter calling, but Lupita never complains.  She’s not unique in that – scrub nurses around the world endure long hours, tired feet and legs, hungry bellies, full bladders, and aching backs as they complete their days in the operating room.  But she does it with good nature and grace.

Lupita assisting Dr. Vasquez during surgery

The surgical nurse

In the United States, this important job has been lost to nursing, a casualty of the ongoing shortage.  Positions such as scrub nurse and others like it have been frequently replaced with technicians who require less training and thus, less compensation that nurses.  Maybe the nursing profession doesn’t mourn the loss; but I do.

as you can see – here she is, ‘behind the scenes’ so to speak..

But in Mexico, and many other locations, this position remains the exclusive domain of the nurse.  Nurses such as Lupita, spend three years studying general nursing in college, before completing an (optional) additional year of training for a specialty such as the operating room.  After completing this training, these nurses spend yet another year in public service.

The idea of the public service requirement is honorable yet almost ironic (to me)  at times, since the majority of nurses in Mexico will spent their careers in public facilities, and by definition (in my mind at least), nursing is an occupation almost entirely devoted to the service and care of others.

Working conditions vary but some constants

Depending on the country, the culture, and the facility; conditions may vary; nurses may get short breaks, or be relieved during particularly long cases.   The only constant is the cold, and the hard floors, and rickety stepstools[1].  While the nurses here tell me that the workday is only seven hours long – I’ve been in the operating room with these ladies before, and watched a supposed ‘seven-hour’ day stretch to fifteen.   But it is just part of being a nurse.

[Usually I tell people when I am writing about them – but on this instance – there was never an opportunity.. but she (and all the nurses in the OR with Dr. Vasquez) certainly deserve mention.]

[1] Temperatures are set lower in cardiac surgery rooms.  Why the stepstools always seem rickety, I have no idea.

Wrapping up and saying “Thanks!”

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It’s a busy Sunday in Mexicali – presidential elections are today, so I am going to try to get some pictures of the nearest polling station later.. In the meantime, I am spending the day catching up on my writing..

a polling station in Mexicali

Lots to write about – just haven’t had the time..  Friday morning was the intern graduation which marks the end of their intern year – as they advance in their residencies.. Didn’t get a lot of pictures since I was at the back of the room, and frankly, unwilling to butt ahead of proud parents to get good pics.. This was their day, not mine and I was pleased that I was invited.

I did get a couple of good pictures of my ‘hermanito’ Lalo and Gloria after the event.  (I’ve adopted Lalo as my ‘kid’ brother.. Not sure how he feels about – but he’s pretty easy-going so he probably just thinks it’s a silly gringa thing, and probably it is..)

Dr. ‘Lalo” Gutierrez with his parents

Lalo’s parents were sitting in the row ahead of me, so of course, I introduced myself and said hello.. (They were probably a little bewildered by this middle-aged gringa talking about their son in atrocious Spanish) but I figured they might be curious about the same gringa that posts pictures of Lalo on the internet.. I also feel that it’s important to take time and tell people the ‘good things’ in life.  (Like what a great person their son has turned out to be..)

Same thing for Gloria.. She is such a hard-worker, and yet, always willing to help out.. “Gloria can you help me walk this patient?”  It’s not even her patient, (and a lot of people would say – it’s not our jobs to walk patients) but the patient needs to get out of bed – I am here, and I need some help (with IV poles, pleurovacs, etc.)  and Gloria never hesitates.. that to me – is the hallmark of an excellent provider, that the patient comes first .. She still has several years to go, but I have confidence in her.

She throws herself into her rotations.. When she was on thoracics, she wanted to learn.. and she didn’t mind learning from a nurse (which is HUGE here, in my experience.)

Dr. Gloria Ayala (right) and her mother

She wasn’t sure that her mom would be able to be there – (she works long hours as a cook for a baseball team) but luckily she made it!

Met a pediatric cardiologist and his wife, a pediatrician.. Amazing because the first thing they said is, “We want nurse practitioners in our NICU,” so maybe NPs in Mexico will become a reality.. Heard there is an NP from San Francisco over at Hospital Hispano Americano but haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her.  (I’d love to exchange notes with her.)

I spent the remainder of the day in the operating room of Dr. Ernesto Romero Fonseca, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in trauma.  I don’t know what it is about Orthopedics, but the docs are always so “laid back”, and just so darn pleasant to be around.  Dr. Romero and his resident are no exception.

[“Laid back” is probably the wrong term – there is nothing casual about his approach to surgery but I haven’t had my second cup of coffee yet, so my vocabulary is a bit limited.. ]  Once I finish editing ‘patient bits’ I’ll post a photo..

Then it was off to clinic with the Professor.

Saturday, I spent the day in the operating room with Dr. Vasquez at Hospital de la Familia. He teased me about the colors of the surgical drapes,(green at Hospital de la Familia), so I guess he liked my article about the impact of color on medical photography.  (Though, truthfully, I take photos of surgeons, not operations..)

Since the NYT article* came out a few days ago – things have changed here in Mexicali.  People don’t seem to think the book is such a far-fetched idea anymore.  I’m hopeful this means I’ll get more response from some of the doctors.  (Right now, for every 15 I contact – I might get two replies, and one interview..)

Planning for my last day with the Professor  – makes me sad because I’ve had such a great time, (and learned a tremendous amount) but it has been wonderful.  Besides, I will be starting classes soon – and will be moving to my next location (and another great professor.)

Professor Ochoa and Dr. Vasquez

But I do have to say – that he has been a great professor, and I think, a good friend.  He let me steer my education at times (hey – can I learn more about X..) but always kept me studying, reading and writing.  He took time away from his regular life, and his other duties as a professor of other students (residents, interns etc.) to read my assignments, make suggestions and corrections when necessary.    and lastly, he tolerated a lot with good grace and humor.  Atrocious Spanish, (probably) some outlandish ideas and attitudes about patient care (I am a nurse, after all), a lot of chatter (one of my patient care things), endless questions…  especially, “donde estas?” when I was lost – again.

So as I wrap up my studies to spend the last few weeks concentrating on the book, and getting the last interviews, I want to thank Dr. Carlos Ochoa for his endless patience, and for giving me this opportunity.  I also want to thank all the interns (now residents) for welcoming me on rounds, the great doctors at Hospital General..  Thanks to Dr. Ivan for always welcoming me to the ER, and Dr. Joanna for welcoming me to her hospital.  All these people didn’t have to be so nice – but they were, and I appreciate it.

* Not my article [ I wish it were – since I have a lot to say on the topic].

Spending the weekend with Dr. Vasquez, and medical photography

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For internet searches for medical photography – all of my images are free for your use, but please give proper credit for my work, ie. “Photo by K. Eckland”.  For commercial uses, contact me, (so that I can contact the subjects of my work).

Please note that patient privacy is protected – and patient permission is obtained prior to photographs.  For the most part – I photograph surgeons – not patients, or surgery.

Spent much of the weekend in the operating room with Dr. C. Vasquez, cardiac surgeon at two different facilities, and the differences couldn’t be more apparent – and perhaps not what one might expect.  Much of it comes from perspective; as a person behind the lens, I see the scene differently than others might.

harvesting the radial artery

In fact, this prompted me to write an article on the subject of medical photography, complete with a slide show to illustrate the effects of color on surgical photographs. I’ve also re-posted much of the article here (see below).  Once you see the photos from today, you’ll understand the article.

the beige operating room

The case today went beautifully, with the patient extubated in the operating room.

Dr. Vasquez, and Lupita, scrub nurse

While we were there – had an unexpected surprise! Dr. Gutierrez ‘Lalo’ showed up.  I have been trying to get him into the cardiac OR since he confessed his interest in cardiac surgery.  It was great to see him – and I like encouraging him in his educational goals.   (I kind of miss being a mentor, and preceptor to students..)

Lalo peeks over the curtain..

Dr. Gutierrez (Lalo) in the cardiac OR

Medical Photography

Medical photography is many ways is more art, and luck that skill – at least for people like me who never set out to be medical photographers in the first place.  It was a natural development prompted by dire necessity during the early days of interviewing surgeons and medical writing.  I am still learning, and hopefully improving.

But as I said before, much of it is luck, and timing, particularly in this field, where the subjects are always in motion and a slight movement of the hand tying the suture knot can result in either a breath-taking shot or an utter failure to capture the moment.

The most dramatic and vivid photographs often come at mundane moments, or unexpected situations.  In medical photography, where the subject matter combines with a dramatic interplay of color, light and shadow to illustrate some of life’s most pivotal moments such as birth, death and life-saving operations – it is surprising how important the background elements are.

Here in Mexicali, I have been taking photographs of different surgeons for several weeks at different facilities across the city.  But, almost unanimously, all of the photographs, regardless of subject at Hospital Almater are lackluster and uninspiring.  Contrast this with the glorious photos from the public facilities such as Hospital General de Mexicali, and Issstecali.

The culprit is immediately apparent, and it demonstrates how such carefully planned such as aesthetics and interior design can have unintended consequences.  The very studied, casual beigeness used to communicate upscale living in the more public parts of the hospital are destroying the esthetics of the operating room services they are selling.  Whereas, the older facilities, which have continued the use of traditional colored drapes and materials do not have the problem.

Historically, surgical drapes were green for a very specific reason.  As the complementary color to red, it was believed to be a method of combating eye fatigue for surgeons looking at the red, bloody surgical fields for hours at a time.  Over the years, operating room apparel and drapes evolved away from this soft green to a more vivid blue, know as ‘ceil’.  The reasons for this change are probably more related to manufacturing that medicine, and since that evolution, surgical drapes now come in a variety of colors – hence the color matching here, of the paint, the tile, the patients, the operating room and the surgeons itself.  Somewhere, an interior decorator is filled with gleeful satisfaction – but I can only muster up a groan; knowing I will be here again and that most of my photos will be unusable.

While the consequences of poor medical photographs may seem trivial to anyone but myself (and my interviewees) at this junction – it runs far deeper than that.  With the advent of the internet, and the complicated legalities of getty and other corporate images, small, independent photographers such as myself are gaining wider exposure than ever before.   Alas! – much of it is uncredited, but several of my more popular images are downloaded thousands of times per week, to grace slideshows, powerpoint presentations and other illustrations for discussions of anything from medicine and surgery to travel, technology and even risk assessment.  In an era of branding, and logo recognition, places like Hospital Almater are certainly missing out.

In  other news/ happenings: Upcoming elections!**

Finally found someone to talk to and explain some of the issues in Mexican politics – but he hates Quadri, and doesn’t really explain any of it except to say ‘He’s corrupt..”  (From my understanding, ‘corrupt’ is an understatement, and that all of the parties are corrupt – and it’s pretty well understood by everyone involved – so of course, if I hear something like that – please explain.. explain..)  It’s not like I am capable of voting anyway, but I’d sure like to hear perspectives..

It looks like I’m not the only one who is a little leary of pretty boy pena’s party’s dubious history.  His numbers have fallen in recent polls in advance of tonight’s televised debates.  (Let’s hope these debates are better than the last.)

My personal “favorite”, Quadri is still trailing in the dust, but it looks like Lopez has a chance to take the election from Pena (much like it was ‘taken’ from him in 2006 with his narrow defeat..  Lopez is a socialist which is hard for Americans like me to understand – but then again, it’s not my country, and the levels of inequity here are certainly wider than at home – so maybe someone like Lopez can bring some much needed support to the lower classes.

I mean, a lot of what we take for granted in the USA doesn’t exist here, like a decent free public school education.   (Okay – I know critics will argue about the value of an inner city education – but we still provide a free elementary & secondary school education to all our citizens.)  So socialism for the purpose of providing basic services in all areas of Mexico seems pretty reasonable.  (It would help if I could read some primary source stuff – without using translation software, so I would have a better idea of the specifics of AMLO’s ideas.)

I did ask my friend about the student demonstrations for Yo Soy 132.  I guess as an American growing up after the 1960’s – we tend to not too make much of a big deal over student demonstrators – after all – we have the ‘Occupy’ movements going on right now in our own/ other countries – but he was telling me that this is pretty uncommon in Mexico.

** No, I’m not really into politics but I feel like it’s important to try and understand as much as possible about the places (countries) where I am residing.

This week in Mexicali Surgery

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No – I haven’t changed the name of the blog, just reflecting the nature of my current assignment.  Spending some time in Interventional Cardiology this week as part of a story I am writing about chest pain emergencies for Mexico on my mind.com.  Today, I checked out the cath lab at Hispano Americano Hospital.  It’s a bit crowded, but all the equipment is brand-spanking new, and practically sparkling.  (Don’t worry – I have photos to prove it!)

Nurses in the cath lab at Hospital Hispano Americano

Dr. Fernando Monge was kind of enough to give me a guided tour.  While we were there he (assisted by Dr. Raul Aguilera) placed a stent in a patient with recurrent angina.  A doctor from the ER also stopped by to have him review a couple EKGs..  I’ll post a link when the full story is done.

Also stopped in to talk to Dr. Jose Antonio Olivares Felix, MD, a general surgeon who reports to me that he is doing single port laparoscopy – so of course, that got me interested.  Hoping to set a date to go to the operating room.

I’ll be spending all of tomorrow in the company of Dr. Marnes Molina, MD to learn more about some of the other stuff he’s doing in urology (and hopefully grab a picture of that green laser!)

Dr. Gabriel Ramos, Oncology Surgeon

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Dr. Gabriel Ramos, Oncologic Surgeon

Been a busy week  – (Yea!) but now that it is the weekend, I have a chance to post some more pictures and talk about my day in the operating room with Dr. Gabriel Omar Ramos Orozco. 

Despite living in a neighboring apartment, interviewing Dr. Ramos proved to be more difficult than anticipated.  But after several weeks, I was able to catch up with the busy surgeon.

Outside of the operating room, he is a brash, young surgeon with an off-beat charm and quirky sense of humor.  But inside the operating room, as he removes a large tumor with several cancerous implants, Dr. Gabriel Ramos Orozco is all business.

It’s different for me, as the interviewer to have this perspective.  As much as I enjoy him as a friendly neighbor – it’s the serious surgeon that I prefer.  It’s a side of him that is unexpected, and what finally wins me over.

Originally from San Luis Rio Colorado in the neighboring state of Sonora, Dr. Ramos now calls Mexicali home.  Like most surgeons here, he has a staff position at a public hospital separate from his private practice.  It is here at IMSS (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social) where Dr. Ramos operates on several patients during part of the extended interview.

Operating room nurses at IMSS

During the cases, the patients received a combination of epidural analgesia and conscious sedation.  While the anesthesiologist was not particularly involved or attentive to the patients during the cases, there was no intra-operative hypotension/ alterations in hemodynamic status or prolonged hypoxia.

Dr. Ramos reviewed patient films and medical charts prior to the procedures.  Patients were prepped, positioned and draped appropriately.  Surgical sterility was maintained during the cases.  The first case is a fairly straight forward laparoscopic case – and everything proceeds rapidly, in an uncomplicated fashion.  45 minutes later, and the procedure is over – and Dr. Ramos is typing his operative note.

Dr. Gabriel Ramos in the operating room

But the second case is not – and Dr. Ramos knows it going in..

The case is an extensive tumor resection, where Dr. Ramos painstakingly removes several areas of implants (or tumor tissue that has spread throughout the abdomen, separate from the original tumor).

The difference between being able to surgical remove all of the sites and being unable to remove all of the gross disease is the difference between a possible surgical ‘cure’ and a ‘de-bulking’ procedure, Dr. Ramos explains.  As always, when entering these surgeries, Dr. Ramos and his team do everything possible to go for surgical eradication of disease.  The patient will still need adjunctive therapy (chemotherapy) to treat any microscopic cancer cells, but the prognosis is better than in cases where gross disease is left behind*.  During this surgery, after extended exploration – it looks like Dr. Ramos was able to get everything.

“It’s not pretty,” he admits, “but in these types of cases, aesthetics are the last priority,” [behind removing all the tumor].  Despite that – the aesthetics after this large surgery are not as worrisome as one might have imagined.

The patient will have a large abdominal scar – but nothing that differs from most surgical scars in the pre-laparoscopy era.  [I admit I may be jaded in this respect after seeing so many surgeries] – It is several inches long, but there are no obvious defects, the scar is straight and neatly aligned at the conclusion of the case – and the umbilicus “belly-button” was spared.

after the successful removal of a large tumor

As I walk out of the hospital into the 95 degree heat at 11 o’clock at night – I admit surprise and revise my opinion of Dr. Ramos – he is better than I expected, (he is more than just the kid next door), and he deserves credit for such.

*This may happen due to the location of metastatic lesions – not all lesions are surgically removable.  (Tumor tissue may attach to major blood vessels such as the abdominal aorta, or other tissue that cannot be removed without seriously compromising the patient.)  In those cases, surgeons try to remove as much disease as possible – called ‘de-bulking’ knowing that they will have to leave tumor behind.

Dr. Ramos, HIPEC and Radio Broadcasts

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Finally caught up with the busy Dr. Gabriel Ramos, MD, oncologic surgeon and spent several hours with him in the operating room at IMSS (the social security hospital) for a couple of cases on Wednesday..  I’ll be writing more about him soon.

Dr. Gabriel Ramos, Oncologic Surgeon

Yesterday was a full day with clinics here and San Luis.  Also – more homework, so I have to get some studying in before heading back in this afternoon.

On the radio with Cartagena Surgery:

Recorded my very first radio interview with Ilene Little at Traveling 4 Health..  I hope I don’t sound too bad (when I get nervous, I laugh..)  It’s not a pre-determined format, so I didn’t know the questions until she asked them – which makes it more interesting, but I sound less polished as I search my brain for names, dates, places etc.  Trying to remember the name of the researchers who published a paper in 1998, 2008, or 1978 is daunting when you worry about ‘dead air’.. I was so nervous I was even forgetting my abbreviations.  I hope it comes across better to listeners.

We talked about the books, what I do (and how I am surviving on savings to do it).  We also talked about some of the great doctors I’ve interviewed, treatments such as HIPEC as well as some of the quackery and false hope being peddled by people with a lot to gain.. I kind of wish HIPEC and quackery weren’t in the same segment.  Since it was off the cuff – I didn’t have all of my medical references and literature to talk about to distinguish the two (so if you are here looking for information on HIPEC – search around the site – I have links to on-going studies, and research going back over a decade, both here at BogotaSurgery.org .  Of course, the crucial difference between the two is:

HIPEC is a new treatment, but there is NO assurance of success – in fact, some patients die from the treatment itself.

– There is a body of scientific literature on HIPEC for advanced abdominal cancers (ovarian, uterine, etc)

Quakery or pseudo-science can be a bit trickery.  Maybe they take an existing or  promising treatment (like therapies for stroke, Parkinson’s etc.) and apply it to something else – like treatment of serious cancers.  (Yes – people will find papers written about the ‘treatment’, but these papers may not meet scientific rigor, or may not be about the condition or treatment that they are receiving.)  They also promise miracles and cures.

In medicine, even the very best doctors and surgeons can’t promise these things – because medicine itself isn’t an exact science, and different people respond to the same treatments differently – ie. one patient may have complications and another patient doesn’t.

Lastly  – we just touched on it – but I think it’s an important concept – is patient self-determination.  That no matter what I, or anyone writes, does or says – people always have the right to determine their own medical treatment.

Mexico on my mind….and the city by the fence

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Actually, it is on my mind quite a bit these days, as you can imagine.  But that’s also the title of the new website where I will be contributing to articles about life, and health care in Mexicali.  It’s a website designed for Americans and other extranjeros living in Mexico, so I thought it was the perfect place for some of my articles on medical emergencies and medical services.

I think that if you are an ex-pat living in a different country/ culture/ etc. even if you’ve been here for a while – if you become ill, it’s a little more frightening and confusing than it might be in your old hometown.  So, hopefully the addition of a fellow gringa to help navigate the system, so to speak, is more comforting and helpful to readers..

Of course, many of the readers of the site are living in different areas of the country, so this is also a chance for me to speak up and promote Mexicali – and after being here for a couple of months – I really think that Mexicali is often judged harshly.

Sure, I don’t want it to become the next Cabo San Lucas – where Spanish is drowned out by drunken teenagers hollering, puking and carrying on in English, and Mexican culture has been submerged beneath a sea of tacky shops, Starbucks, and the homogenous effect of chain restaurants and fast food.  But I also think that when people skip over Mexicali, they are missing a chance to see an interesting side of Mexico – a side that is often downplayed to tourists unless you are heading to Mexico City.

But first – let’s be sure to say what Mexicali isn’t.  It isn’t a quaint seaside resort, or charming village.  It also isn’t a crime-infested border city, as we’ve talked about before.

If you are looking for cute, charming and rural – this isn’t the place for you.

But that’s not to say that Mexicali is without its own considerable charms.  It is first and foremost – a city of industry.  While this contributes to wide areas of industrial blight (factories and their by-products aren’t particularly attractive) – it also means that there is a significant sector of skilled labor and a higher overall standard of living.  Some of this industry is medical, but much of it is more traditional – factories and companies who came here to take advantage of NAFTA.  Frito-Lay is here, Modelo brewing is here, as well as several juice distributors and machineries.  But there is also Intuitive Surgical – the makers of the DaVinci Robot, a two million dollar piece of extremely sophisticated medical technology.

street art in Mexicali

It is also the capital of Baja California, so there is a large contingent of government offices here too,  along with the Universities and educational facilities of higher learning.

But most importantly, it is a city of people.  These people are the true heart of ‘Mexican culture’, in a very real sense.  I am fortunate that as a student, in my daily activities – I get to encounter these people on a day-to-day basis – and the people of Mexicali have proven to be as friendly and welcoming as any city I’ve ever lived.  Despite the close proximity to the border, this is the real Mexico – and it hasn’t been diluted.  Spanish remains predominant, and real working class citizens populate the streets and buildings as opposed to the more touristy destinations where everything has been ‘Americanized’ for our comfort.

Want to learn Spanish?  Then come here.  You will get to practice every day.  People will help you, correct your grammar, offer you the occasional missing word – and they do it with patience and a smile, but they will expect you to speak Spanish all the same.

The charm is here – on the quiet, upscale streets in the different barrios of the city, in the music emanating from well-kept homes, in the kitchens of mom and pop restaurants serving native dishes, and in the way that residents still welcome outsiders like myself.

They have pride in their city, their way of life and take pains to encourage me to sample it – pieces of their culture, whether as part of traditional festivities for a national holiday, or a bite of food from a street vendor or even just directions to the best [blank] in town.

an art museum in Mexicali

It also has its own identity, distinct from larger Mexico.  Some of this comes from dealing with the heat – 120 degree days in the summer are not uncommon – on these dry, sun-baked and parched streets.. Some of it comes from the unique make-up of this city – which boasts a shared heritage with a large Chinese community who fled the states after building the railroads.  So, yeah – they probably have the best Chinese food in Mexico too.

So hopefully, as I write about the doctors, and hospitals of Mexicali, visitors to the city will see the other charms that make me appreciate this place a little more every day.

Talking with Dr. Jose Juan Durazo Madrid, MD about GI endoscopy

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This post is long overdue since I interviewed Dr. Jose Juan Durazo Madrid, MD, FACS almost two weeks ago – but as readers know, things have gotten pretty busy lately.  I’ve seen Dr. Jose Juan Durazo a couple times since the initial interview – but alas! I still haven’t talked my way into his operating room.

Dr. Durazo, who is a fellow in the American College of Surgeons is a primarily Spanish-Speaking general surgeon specializing in gastroenterology (endoscopy, and capsule endoscopy) and general surgery procedures such as cholecystectomies, appendectomies, hemorrhoid surgery and Nissen fundaplication for GERD.  H also performs surgery for cancers of the GI tract.  He performs bariatric surgery but reports that this is only a small portion of his practice.

Dr. Durazo has been a surgeon for 22 years.  After attending UABC (Universidad Autonoma Baja California) here in Mexicali, he completed his general surgery residency in Hermosillo, Sonora.

He now serves as a professor of surgery for his alma mater, in addition to his private practice.  He primarily operates at Hispano – Americano, Hospital Almater, Hospital Quirugico de la Valle, and IMSS (government facility.)

Hopefully, I’ll be reporting back from the operating room one of these days.

In the operating room with Dr. Marnes Molina, MD

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with Dr. Marnes Molina, Urologist

Spent the day with Dr. Marnes Molina, MD, a urologist here in Mexicali.  I initially met Dr. Molina by happenstance – in the hallways of Mexicali General Hospital.  After a brief chat we arranged for a longer interview and operating room visit.

Today, I spent the entire day in Dr. Molina’s company – first in surgery at one of the private hospitals, then his office on Madero Avenue, and then at another facility for another surgery.

Talking to the fluent English-speaking physician was a delight and a treat.  Since I don’t usually spent much time in urology – I do admit that I spent yesterday as a cram session reading about J stents and the like  so I would even know what questions to ask.  (Urology has come a long way since your basic lithotripsy.)

Dr. Molina performs a wide range of procedures – from treatment of kidney stones and ureteral obstructions, BPH, prostate cancer as well as continence restoring surgeries such as vaginal tape, and treatment of varicocele that may be contributing to infertility issues in men.

Today, for both cases, patients received conscious sedation – and both patients looked comfortable during the procedures.  (This also means that the associated risks of general anesthesia are avoided.) Everything went well – and quickly!

Dr. Marnes Molina (left) and his nurse in the operating room

Dr. Marnes Molina also tells me that he is the only urologist in the Mexicali area utilizing the green laser for treatment of benign prostate hypertrophy as an option instead of traditional surgery.

Dr. Marnes Molina Torres

Urology/ endourology

www.urologiamexicali.com

Madero 1059

Col. Nueva

Mexicali, BC

Email: marnesm@urologiamexicali.com

Tele (686) 553 6989

Expect to hear more about Dr. Molina soon..

References on Lasers in Urology

Lasers in urology (Grasso & Schwartz), 2008 Medscape.com article

Another Medscape article courtesy of Reuters Health on Green Light laser technology entitled, “Latest green-light laser effective for large prostate volumes.”

Mexicali book update

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The service is quiet so I am spending the day writing and working on the Mexicali book.  For new readers, I would like to explain that the Mexicali book is a little different from my previous offerings.  This is not an exhaustive compilation of surgeons and facilities in Mexicali, as frankly, I do not have the time or resources to accomplish such a task at this point in time.

Like all my books, it is a labor of love, but differs in that it highlights some of the best, and worst of Mexicali and medical tourism in this city.  So instead of interviewing and observing hundreds of surgeons, it highlights the limited number of physicians who agreed to participate in this project.

As such, no plans are being made to market this book commercially. Instead, I plan to offer it as a free pdf download for interested readers.  I will also be offering a full color soft-bound edition (at cost) for people interested in the many full color photographs of surgeons and surgery in Mexicali.  I will be placing the soft-bound edition on Amazon.com for interested persons.  Unfortunately, the cost of producing such a book (color photos) in limited runs is fairly expensive, so I apologize in advance to readers – but as I said – it’s a labor of love, and I won’t make a dime off of it.  I can only hope that if readers enjoy this book, they will consider purchasing one of my longer, more detailed books on medical tourism (such as the Bogotá book.)

More information will be forthcoming as I get further and further towards completion of this project.

New series of articles

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I’ll be writing a new series of articles for the Examiner.com based on my experiences, interviews and observations here in Mexicali, MX and Calexico, California.  While the focus will be on serving the needs of the Calexico community (particularly now that there is a fast pass lane for medical travelers), I hope that all of my loyal readers will continue to support my work.

I have already published my first three articles  – and have added a new navigation section (on the side of this blog) for interested readers.

As part of this, I wrote a story about the good doctor and all of the work he is doing – including one of our recent ‘house calls’ to San Luis, in Sonora, Mexico.   It was probably one of the more difficult articles to write; due to space limitations and trying to present information in an objective fashion.  (It’s hard to present all the evidence to support your conclusions in just a few hundred words;  ie. He’s a good doctor because he does X, Y, and Z and follows H protocol according the P.”  Makes for wordy reading and not really what the Examiner is looking for.

Too bad, since readers over at Examiner.com haven’t had the chance to know that if the opposite is true (a less than stellar physician or treatment – that I have absolutely no reservations about presenting the evidence  and stating the facts about that either..)

Don’t worry, though – I will continue to provide that level of detail here at Cartagena Surgery – where the only limitations are my ability to type, and the (sometimes) faulty keys of my aging laptop.

The ‘Art of Medicine’ with Dr. Jose Mayagoitia Witron, MD, FACS

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I should be finishing my readings in preparation for clinic this afternoon, but after reading most of the day yesterday (it was an international holiday for people living outside the USA), I guess I am entitled to spend some time writing.

Besides, I spent an illuminating morning with Dr. Jose Mayagoitia Witron, MD, FACS over at Mexicali General Hospital.  While he was telling me what he doesn’t do: (no uniport laparoscopic surgery, and not a huge amount of bariatric surgery), what I observed told a very different story.

Dr. Mayagoitia, MD, FACS

I didn’t follow Dr. Mayagoitia to the operating room.  Instead – I accompanied him to a teaching session with his medical students, who presented case studies – and I observed Dr. Mayagoitia instructing his students in the ‘Art of Medicine’.  This skill is fast becoming a lost one in today’s emphasis on the science of diagnostics, and laboratory testing.  But not here, not today – and not with Dr. Mayagoitia.

He believes strongly in the physical examination and all of the wealth of information that it provides.  He also believes it is an underutilized tool to connect doctors with their patients.  As he explains, too often doctors become too busy ordering tests – which separates the doctors from their patients – instead of listening to ‘the person in the bed’.  (My terminology not his).  So during his students case presentations – the emphasis is on the story (the clinical history), the patient’s life (background, social settings, diet, habits) and the clinical physical examination.  Students aren’t allowed to talk about, or ask questions about diagnostic results such as radiographs or serum analysis until the story and the physical findings have been throughly discussed and examined in detail.

Even then – he challenges them – to use more than their eyes – to engage their brains, and their other senses.. “What about the description of this surgical scar?  Does it seem a little large for an appendectomy?” he asks.. “What about it’s location?’ he challenges**..

“What about the differentials?  What other diagnoses should we consider? he asks.  “I know you think the diagnosis is obvious – but give me some alternatives,” he coaxes.  “What else could be going on?  Tell me why you don’t think that it’s X” he asks – making the students review and explore the other possible causes for this patient’s abdominal pain.  “Could it be Z?” he asks.. “Why not?  What else would we see?” he states in reply to a student’s mumbled answer..

Then, only then, do we review the labs, and the films – the more tangible aspects of the practice of medicine.  Those results that students can see easily, (maybe too easily) and tempt them into abandoning the ‘art’ of medicine and patient care.  But he doesn’t allow it – and quickly steers the conversation back to the displayed pathology to this pathophysiology and symptomatology of the patient in question.

As someone who still struggles with the physical skill of percussion – this entry into the art of medicine hits home.  It is an art, and a woefully underappreciated one.

** Please note – these quotes are my best approximation from my translations during the case presentation, and may miss nuances. 

About Dr. Jose Mayagoitia Witron

Dr. Mayagoitia is more than a clinical instructor – he is a respected professor of surgery at the Universidad Autonoma Baja California (UABC) and has been teaching medical students for over 20 years. He also teaches surgical residents and has been doing so for over fifteen years.  He gives lectures daily at the University, in addition to his busy schedule as the Supervising Surgeon for the Intensive Care Unit at Mexicali General, and private surgical practice (with evening clinic hours).

He speaks in clear, unaccented English (my southern accent is thicker than any accent he might possess) which may be as a result of his fellowship training in San Diego.   He completed his general surgery residency right here at Mexicali General after attending UABC).

He remains active in the research community as a supervisor for resident research projects including two ongoing projects worthy of note: a new study looking at the treatment of open abdomens, (from massive trauma, infection, etc.) and a study looking at the early initiation of enteral feedings versus delayed (72 hours or greater) in surgical intensive care patients.

He, along with his wife, Gisela Ponce y Ponce de León, MD, PhD (a family medicine physician and instructor at the UABC nursing school) recently presented a paper on obesity research in Barcelona, Spain.

He does all of this in addition to a steady diet of general surgery (cholecystectomies, appendectomies, bowel surgery (such as resections) and the occasional bariatric surgery.  As one of the lead surgeons at a major trauma hospital** – he also sees a considerable amount of emergency and trauma cases.

He reports that on the last – bariatric surgery, he has mixed feelings.  While it has become a popular staple for the treatment of obesity and obesity-related complications – he questions it’s role in a society that steadfastedly ignores the causes.  “I wonder if we will look back one day and realize that we [surgery] did a real disservice to our patients by doing so much of this.”  So, while he does perform some bariatric procedures, he is very selective in his patients.  “It’s not a quick -fix, and they are going to be dealing with this [changes from bariatric surgery] for the rest of their lives so they [patients] need to understand that it’s a lifelong endeavor.”  When he does perform bariatric procedures, he prefers the gastric sleeve, which he believes is more effective [than lap-band, and smaller procedures] but less devastating in terms of complications and dramatic life alterations.

Dr. Jose Mayagoitia Witron, MD, FACS

General surgeon, Fellow in the American College of Surgeons

Edificio Azahares

Av. Reforma 1061 – 6

Mexicali, B. C.

Tele: 686 552 2400

** He reports that Mexicali General, as a public facility, sees about 80% of all traumas in the area.

Blue Cross/ Blue Shield of Mexicali & Dr. Cuauhtemoc Vasquez Jimenez

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Note:  I owe Dr. Vasquez a much more detailed article – which I am currently writing – but after our intellectually stimulating talk the other day, my mind headed off in it’s own direction..

Had a great sit down lunch and a fascinating talk with Dr. Vasquez.  As per usual – our discussion was lively, (a bit more lively than usual) which really got my gears turning.  Dr. Vasquez is a talented surgeon – but he could be even better with just a little ‘help’.  No – I am not trying to sell him a nurse practitioner – instead I am trying to sell Mexicali, and a comprehensive cardiac surgery program to the communities on both sides of the border..  Mexicali really could be the ‘land of opportunity’ for medical care – if motivated people and corporations got involved.

During lunch, Dr. Vasquez was explaining that there is no real ‘heart hospital’ or cardiac surgery program, per se in Mexicali – he just operates where ever his patients prefer.  In the past that has included Mexicali General, Issstecali (the public hospitals) as well as the tiny but more upscale private facilities such as Hospital Alamater, and Hospital de la Familia..

Not such a big deal if you are a plastic surgeon doing a nip/tuck here and there, or some outpatient procedures – okay even for general surgeons – hernia repairs and such – but less than ideal for a cardiac surgeon – who is less of a ‘lone wolf’ due to the nature and scale of cardiac surgery procedures..

Cardiac surgery differs from other specialties in its reliance on a cohesive, well-trained and experienced group – not one surgeon – but a whole team of people to look out for the patients; Before, During & After surgery..  That team approach [which includes perfusionists, cardiac anesthesiologists (more specialized than regular anesthesia), operating room personnel, cardiology interventionalists and specialty training cardiac surgery intensive care nurses]  is not easily transported from facility to facility.

just a couple members of the cardiac surgery team

That’s just the people involved; it doesn’t even touch on all the specialty equipment; such as the bypass pump itself, echocardiogram equipment, Impella/ IABP (intra-aortic balloon pump), ECMO or other equipment for the critically ill – or even just the infrastructure needed to support a heart team – like a pharmacy division that knows that ‘right now’ in the cardiac OR means five minutes ago, or a blood bank with an adequate stock of platelets, FFP and a wide range of other blood products..

We haven’t even gotten into such things such as a hydrid operating rooms and 24/7 caths labs – all the things you need for urgent/ emergent cases, endovascular interventions – things a city the size of Mexicali should really have..

But all of those things take money – and commitment, and I’m just not sure that the city of Mexicali is ready to commit to supporting Dr. Vasquez (and the 20 – something cases he’s done this year..) It also takes vision..

This is where a company/ corporation could come in and really change things – not just for Dr. Vasquez – and Mexicali – but for California..

It came to me again while I was in the operating room with Dr. Vasquez – watching him do what he does best – which is sometimes when I do what I do best.. (I have some of my best ideas in the operating room – where I tend to be a bit quieter.. More thinking, less talking)..

Dr. Vasquez, doing what he does best..

As I am watching Dr. Vasquez – I starting thinking about all the different cardiac surgery programs I’ve been to: visited, worked in – trained in.. About half of these programs were small – several were tiny, single surgeon programs a lot like his.. (You only need one great surgeon.. It’s all the other niceties that make or break a program..)

All of the American programs had the advantages of all the equipment / specialty trained staff that money could buy***

[I know what you are thinking – “well – but isn’t it all of these ‘niceties’ that make everything cost so darn much?”  No – actually it’s not – which is how the Cardioinfantils, and Santa Fe de Bogotas can still make a profit offering world-class services at Colombian prices…]

The cost of American programs are inflated due to the cost of defensive medicine practices (and lawyers), and the costs of medications/ equipment in the United States****

the possibilities are endless – when I spend quality time in the operating room (thinking!)

Well – there is plenty of money in Calexico, California** and not a hospital in sight – just a one room ‘urgent care center’.  The closest facility is in El Centro, California – and while it boasts a daVinci robot, and a (part-time?) heart surgeon (based out of La Mesa, California – 100 + miles away)– patients usually end up being transferred to San Diego for surgery.

Of course, in addition to all of the distance – there is also all of the expense..  So what’s a hard-working, blue-collar guy from Calexico with severe CAD going to do?  It seems the easiest and most logical thing – would be to walk/ drive/ head across the street to Mexicali.. (If only Kaiser Permanente or Blue Cross California would step up and spearhead this project – we could have the best of both worlds – for residents of both cities.. 

 A fully staffed, well-funded, well-designed, cohesive heart program in ONE medium- sized Mexicali facility – without the exorbitant costs of an American program (from defensive medicine practices, and outlandish American salaries.)  Not only that – but as a side benefit, there are NO drug shortages here..

How many ‘cross-border’ cases would it take to bring a profit to the investors?  I don’t know – but I’m sure once word got out – people would come from all over Southern California and Arizona – as well as Mexicali, other parts of Baja, and even places in Sonora like San Luis – which is closer to Mexicali than Hermasillo..  Then Dr. Vasquez could continue to do what he does so well – operate – but on a larger scale, without worrying about resources, or having to bring a suitcase full of equipment to the OR.

The Mexican – American International Cardiac Health Initiative?

But then – this article isn’t really about the ‘Mexican- American cross-border cardiac health initiative’ –

It is about a young, kind cardiac surgeon – with a vision of his own.

That vision brought Dr. Vasquez from his home in Guadalajara (the second largest city in Mexico) to one of my favorite places, Mexicali after graduating from the Universidad Autonomica in Guadalajara, and completing much of his training in Mexico (D.F.).  After finishing his training – Dr. Vasquez was more than ready to take on the world – and Mexicali as it’s first full-time cardiac surgeon.

Mexicali’s finest: Dr. Vasquez, (cardiac surgeon) Dr. Campa(anesthesia) and Dr. Ochoa (thoracic surgeon

Since arriving here almost two years ago – that’s exactly what he’s done.. Little by little, and case by case – he has begun building his practice; doing a wide range of cardiovascular procedures including coronary bypass surgery (CABG), valve replacement procedures, repair of the great vessels (aneurysm/ dissections), congenital repairs, and pulmonary thrombolectomies..

Dr. Vasquez, Mexicali’s cardiac surgeon

Dr. Cuauhtemoc Vasquez Jimenez, MD

Cardiac Surgeon

Calle B No. 248 entre Obregon y Reforma

Col. Centro, Mexicali, B. C.

Email: drcvasquez@hotmail.com

Tele: (686) 553 – 4714 (appointments)

Notes:

*The Imperial Valley paper reports that Calexico makes 3 million dollars a day off of Mexicali residents who cross the border to shop.

***In all the programs I visited  – there are a couple of things that we (in the United States do well..  Heart surgery is one of those things..)

**** Yes – they charge us more in Calexico for the same exact equipment made in India and sold everywhere else in the world..

In the operating room with Dr. Cuauhtemoc Vasquez, Cardiac Surgeon

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Had a great day in the operating room with Dr. Cuauhtemoc Vasquez, MD the promising young heart surgeon I told you about several months ago.  I have some absolutely breathtaking photos of the case – but I want to double-check with the patient before posting anything potentially revealing in such a public forum.

Todays’ surgery was at one of the public hospitals in Mexicali – and while technology was sometimes in short supply – talent sure wasn’t.  I was frankly surprised at the level of skill and finesse Dr. Vasquez displayed given the fact that he is so early in his career.

Dr. Cuauhtemoc Vasquez, Cardiac surgeon

He’s also just an all-around pleasant and charming person.  I know from previous encounters that he’s well-spoken, interesting, engaging and an excellent conversationalist –  We didn’t talk at length on this occasion – because honestly, I really don’t like to be distracting during cases – especially since much of the discussion was in an English-heavy Spanglish.. (He is fluent in English but we both tend to slip in and out of Spanish.  I mainly slip out when I start thinking in English and come across a concept that I am not sure about explaining or asking about in Spanish.**

But don’t worry – I am planning on seeing him next week – where I can hopefully lure him to lunch/ coffee or something so we have a more lengthy discussion – so I can give you all the details in a more formal fashion in a future post.

As a crazy side note – finally got that ‘great’ picture of the good doctor.. Oh, the irony – not during a thoracic case but while he was assisting Dr. Vasquez – (the good doctor is board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon, after all..) I didn’t post it here because there are some ‘patient bits’ in the photo..

**I know this can be frustrating from my experiences with my professor – but it’s also frustrating when: a. a question gets misinterpreted as a statement (because of my poor grammar) or b. misconstrued completely – which still happens pretty frequently.  Luckily, people around here are awfully nice, and tend to give me the benefit of a doubt.

Also – I need to post this photo of one of my favorite operating room nurses – Lupita.  (Lupita along with Carmen and Marisol) have been an absolute delight to be around even of those very first anxious days..

Lupita, operating room nurse.. Doesn’t hurt that she’s as cute as a button, eh?

Crime and Violence in Mexicali, Mexico

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Update:  May 15, 2012:  Newest estimates place the 6 year murder total at 55,000 for Mexico.  This latest incident in Monterrey is just heart-breaking – Monterrey used to have the reputation of being the safest of ALL Latin American cities.

As I’ve said before, Mexico border towns have a nasty reputation – and have had this reputation for decades.  Recently, it’s gotten worse, and the state department has issued multiple warnings to American travelers.

In fact, if you scan the headlines of American newspapers – you get the impression that it’s spiralled into open warfare in the streets..  and maybe it has in other cities, (notably Juarez).  But Mexicali – well I am just not sure.

The feeling of fear is notably absent here.  That wasn’t the case during my visits to Bogotá and Medellin, which were terrorized by Pablo Escabar and his minions in the 80’s and 90’s.  Despite dramatic decreases in crime in Bogotá (where I spent the majority of my time in 2011) the populace remained afraid – and acted accordingly.  It wasn’t unusual to see security guards armed with machine guns outside private businesses and on street corners in more affluent neighborhoods.   Hospitals were another secured environment – as someone who toured multiple institutions in that city – I endured countless scrutiny from security officials who searched all bags, and parcels and demanded documentation before allowing entry.

Security on a street corner in an upscale Bogota neighborhood

Admittedly, all of that seemed excessive to outsiders like me – who never had to deal with the violence (bombings and killings) that native Bogotanos endured.  But still, many Bogotá residents remained afraid – including my friends and neighbors who were often horrified by my adventures into the southern parts of the city.

But it doesn’t feel that way here – my friends never caution me about my travels; women don’t travel in packs – gripping their belongings tightly to their chests, taxis aren’t viewed as potential vehicles for kidnapping, rape or extortion.

I live just a few streets from the main trauma hospital, and while I occasionally hear sirens, it isn’t incessant (I heard more living next to the trauma hospital in Flagstaff, Arizona), and I have no way of knowing whether it’s police, fire or ambulances.

But I also study at that same hospital, and while I see ambulances bringing in patients strapped to gurneys, they haven’t been gunshot victims, or blood-splattered people who I’ve seen wheeled inside.  I’ve wandered around the ER with my instructor on several instances, and see a lot of the usual – people having heart attacks, strokes, respiratory problems..  Certainly none of the blood and guts from a typical episode of Gray’s Anatomy..

In fact, during my entire month here so far – we’ve only had one patient that had been stabbed on our service – about the same frequency as I saw in my native Danville, Virginia, which is a sleepy southern town.

But then again – maybe that’s the lure; as this 2009 LA Times article suggests that this apparent ‘tranquility’ is part of a larger plot orchestrated by drug cartels..  I kind of have a harder time believing that – I just don’t think that organized crime is so effective yet scattered – that they can prevent bank robberies, etc.. in one city – and have gun battles in the streets with police in neighboring cities..  The local Calexico paper also carried a similar story in 2010- but it’s not well written and makes some pretty larger leaps..  ( I have a much easier time believing the statistics presented by Professor Torres – which show Mexicali to have fewer homicides than Tijuana (somewhat lower than expected but no astronomical deviations from norms.). In his report, he concedes that Mexican homicide rates overall exceed that of the US, but that Mexicali itself compares with Savannah, Georgia (which has only about 1/3rd of Mexicali’s population.)

Does that mean I’ve been lulled into a false sense of security, or that I think Mexicali is crime free?  Of course not – as a city (any city) with almost a million residents, there is certainly crime, and drugs.. and with this – usually comes violence..   But how much?  I suspect some of  the hoopla is politically motivated and carefully crafted rhetoric, like suggested in this 2011 USAToday article..

So, in order to find out more about the realities of the situation – I am planning on asking the director of the emergency room (who I met on a previous visit), if I can come hang out this Saturday night – and get a better feel for the situation..

We knew it would happen…

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well, I guess we all knew what was coming next.. There was no way I could really stay still – and not interview some more surgeons while I was down here. So I thought I would start with two more specialities that are near and dear to my heart – and those of my readers; cardiac surgery and bariatric surgery.

I will be talking to Dr. Vasquez – who you may remember from a previous post (during an earlier visit to Mexicali) and Dr. Horatio Ham, a bariatric surgeon who also hosts the radio show, Los Doctores on 104.9 FM.