Surgeons of Hope Foundation is equipping a new Pediatric Heart Center of Nicaragua, a fully modern teaching hospital in the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Since 2008, we have worked to train the local medical staff in pediatric open-heart surgery. In the coming months, the new Center will open to serve the poorest children in Nicaragua. Vitally essential to the success of this surgery on children are these warming units and blankets.
After open heart surgery, babies need to be warm up quickly. During heart surgery, the baby must be cooled down. Unlike adults, babies have limited ability to regulate their temperature. Babies can move a little but they are unable to shiver. Their main source of heat is called BAT (brown adipose fat) which is abut 2-7% of their body weight. Unfortunately, using BAT requires extra oxygen and glucose to produce heat, a stress to their system. Bair Huggies are essential to warm them quickly.
We are seeking donations for the purchase of one warming machine and two cases (10 each) of warming blankets to be used with the warming unit. The infants and children arriving for surgery are not strong to start with. Bair Huggies warming systems ensure that the little patient is brought back quickly to normal temperature after having been cooled down for open-heart surgery. Join with Surgeons of Hope in our work to provide access to pediatric heart health where needed in Latin America.
In addition to delivering surgery, Surgeons of Hope provides training to the local medical professionals in modern surgical techniques and provides equipment and supplies to continue the work after our team leaves. The collaborative training that is key to each mission ensures that in time, the teams will no longer be needed. The new 20-bed Pediatric Heart Center is completed now, and the surgical equipment is being moved in. The warming system is a vital element within the new ICU.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
