14^th Operation Walk Mission, 2012

Operation Walk Boston is a medical mission that endeavors to help the impoverished communities on the Dominican Republic. Since its establishment by Dr. Thomas Thornhill and Dr. Richard Scott in 2007, volunteers from Boston have been making a yearly trip to Hospital General De La Plaza in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, for a week long medical mission performing total joint replacements for the local population. Despite these patients’ advanced joint disease, these are individuals who would not be able to undergo joint reconstruction without the efforts of the Operation Walk program.

It is a mission of good will and collaboration. The primarily Boston-based crew is made up of nurses, OR staff, physical therapists, pharmacist, anesthesiologists and surgeons largely from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, but also with volunteers from the Massachusetts General Hospital, New England Baptist, and Tufts. The yearlong planning is done in close conjunction with Dr. Luis Alcantra, the coordinating orthopedic surgeon from Hospital General De La Plaza, and his team who recruit, screen, and facilitate postoperative care of the local patients. The hospital’s generously provides the floor, clinic space, and operating rooms for the mission. Many generous sponsors and a yearly fundraiser have helped to allow this massive effort to continue. The continued success of the mission is in large part due to the amazing generosity of DePuy, who provides the implants for each operation in addition to sending representatives to assist in the day to day operation.

The mission serves as a means not only of helping patients, but also promoting medical education. The WHO safety checklist is performed prior to each case, and education has been provided to the local staff of the safety measures that have been implemented in the United States. In an effort to enhance the medical education of the wonderful local medical students, who tirelessly serve as interpreters for the mission, formal teaching sessions were provided by the resident physicians as well as the daily teaching performed on rounds and throughout the day. Meanwhile, the mission internist, Dr. Jeffrey Katz, continues to collect research program outcomes to help provide continuing gains in medical knowledge.

The 2012 mission continued the tradition of success, providing 47 joint replacements to 36 patients over six days by Dr. Thomas Thornhill, Dr. Dennis Burke, Dr. Wolfgang Fitz, Dr. David Mattingly, and Dr. David Dalury. The degree of disease was far more advanced among this patient population than compared to an average American elective joint replacement. Likewise, the spectrum of disease treated varied from a devastating case of post-traumatic arthritis in a 20-year-old to advanced rheumatoid arthritis that had kept a middle aged woman from walking in over a year. It was an amazing week-long progression from the first day arriving to cheers from the anxious patients awaiting their surgery to the final day as the triumphant patients celebrated during the concluding ceremony where many patients walked out of the ward to the applause of friends and family. It was an amazing and humbling experience.

Looking forward to the 2013 Mission, the coordinators are striving to continue this inspirational tradition and to widen access to the program to the surrounding areas of the Dominican Republic.