CHOP Surgeon Performs Cleft Repairs in Eastern Europe
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In September 2015, Oksana Jackson, MD, a pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgeon, returned to Hungary and Ukraine for a surgical mission trip to treat children with cleft lip and palate.
The trip was organized by Dr. Attila Vastyan, an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Surgery and Chief of the Cleft Team at the University of Pecs in Hungary. This was Dr. Jackson’s second surgical mission trip to the region - her first trip was in October of 2013. These mission trips represent a continued international collaboration to enhance the treatment of children with clefts in these regions.
In Pecs, Hungary, Dr. Jackson and Dr. Vastyan worked together with their team to perform several challenging cleft palate repairs and nasal surgeries. The team then traveled to Mukachevo, Ukraine, where they worked with local surgeons and anesthesiologists to perform nine primary and secondary cleft operations on children ranging from 9 years old to as young as 3 months old. They also visited a local orphanage in Transcarpathia, Ukraine.
The trips to Ukraine are sponsored and organized by the SARA: Sharing America's Resources Abroad, a non-profit organization that distributes medical supplies, equipment, and expertise throughout the world.