Occasionally, we have an opportunity to tell you about one of your ICS colleagues who is giving back to those in need. Dr. Maxime Coles, an Orthopaedic Surgeon who lives in Coffeyville, Kansas, is one of those exceptional individuals who not only has an active practice here in the US, but also travels back to his native Haiti on a regular basis to provide humanitarian medical care.
As part of a team organized by the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad, Dr. Coles was one of 24 individuals who recently traveled to the Justinien University Hospital in the Northern province of Haiti. The mission was conducted from February 24 to March 3, 2018 and included not only patient care, but also several educational sessions that included 37 formal lectures on a variety of topics. The academic program included daily case-presentations conducted by Dr. Coles on Orthopaedic topics.
As the only Orthopaedic surgeon on the team Dr. Coles was probably the busiest of all in the operating room. He attended to 14 fractures, some fresh, some delayed with mal-union in the most difficult conditions and without a working drill. In addition, Dr. Coles performed an emergency amputation for wet gangrene in an 8-year-old with more than 50% body surface third degree burns as well as the complex repair of a wrist laceration affecting both nerves and tendons.
The care provided by Dr. Coles and other members of the International College of Surgeons who regularly participate in humanitarian medical missions around the world is what ICS is all about.
To learn more about Dr. Coles’ recent trip to Haiti click on the following link to download a detailed report.
8th_AMHE_Visit_to_Justinien_University_Hospital
Letter of thanks from the AHME
http://www.amhe.org/press/Auguste_Louis.pdf