In developing countries such as Ecuador and Guatemala, a diagnosis of knee or hip arthritis that in Canada would lead to joint replacement, leads to continuing pain, limited mobility and a diminished quality of life. Total joint replacement is one of the most successful surgical interventions with a good to excellent prognosis in 95% of cases. Relief from pain is an especially reliable outcome.
In first world countries, total hip and knee replacement is the standard of care for debilitating joint disease. In Canada, with a population of 33M, approximately 60,000 of theses surgeries are performed annually. In Guatemala for example, which has a population of 13M, fewer than 200 are carried out each year.
Guatemala
Since 2006 Operation Walk Canada has travelled annually to Guatemala to fulfill the organization’s educational and surgical mission. Replacement surgeries to address immediate patient needs and provide relief from pain, restored mobility and improved quality of life have been carried out. Operation Walk Canada has made a long-term commitment to the people of Guatemala so that exponential benefits of the mission can be realized by a focused group and outcomes that are enduring and measurable be achieved.
Ecuador
The London based Operation Walk team and the Calgary based True North teams travel to Cuenca, Ecuador for missions lasting ten days. The surgeries done here are challenging procedures for the treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip.
