Check this page often to learn about events at Boys Town National Research Hospital, scientific studies underway in our laboratories, and advances in diagnosis and treatment in our clinics.

What's New - Archived Articles

Medical Mission to Vietnam

On August 24, 2007, Rodney Lusk, M.D., Director of Boys Town Ear, Nose & Throat Institute, and his wife Connie Lusk, R.N., traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam on a medical mission. This was a destination Dr. Lusk had traveled four times before with a group called Resource Exchange International (REI) — an organization which connects teaching physicians with foreign universities in developing nations to strengthen the medical community. Dr. and Mrs. Lusk spent 11 days educating and training doctors and medical staff on current medical and surgical ear, nose and throat procedures.

Dr. Lusk describes the Vietnam hospitals as being under equipped and understaffed. Hospital beds are shared by two patients and two to three babies are placed in a single incubator. Simple basic care, such as proper hand-washing and sterilization of surgery instruments are a big concern. Practices that would seem incomprehensible, such as discarding bloody towels in piles on the floor and reusing disposable surgical equipment over and over are commonplace. There is no sense of privacy as pre- and post-operating patients share a single large open room, with many more patients waiting their turn in long, crowded and hot hallways.  

“Teaching in underdeveloped countries is truly and eye-opening experience,” said Dr. Lusk. “Except in isolated hospitals, the healthcare in Vietnam is similar to what we had in the 1950’s. It is difficult to perform simple operations because they lack the technology and surgical equipment which is routinely used in the United States.”

Without proper medical instruments, even the simplest procedures become challenging. There is always concern of infections caused by using contaminated instruments on multiple patients, according to Dr. Lusk.

As gratifying as it is to teach physicians how to help heal children, the trip leaves images that will never be forgotten. Dr. Lusk saw two patients, each with their first bronchial cleft cyst—a very rare birth defect which leads to recurrent infections of the ear and neck. “The pathology was often too far advanced by the time patients come to the attention of physicians. They frequently do not have the instruments or expertise to treat the diseases,” said Dr. Lusk.

“Each year it becomes more apparent that these missions are advancing healthcare and saving lives,” said Dr. Lusk. “The knowledge and instruments that we leave behind takes another step toward a stronger, more productive Vietnamese medical community.” The good news is that the physicians are eager to learn and very receptive. They are warm and outgoing people.