Seasoned IVUmed volunteers and board members, Dr. Christina Ching and Dr. Heidi Stephany were the first IVUmed team to participate in an in-person surgical workshop since the start of the COVID Pandemic in March 2020. Working with Drs. Nenad Spasojevic, Azad Patel, and Seith Kalota, our partners at University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia, our IVUmed team performed over 37 pediatric urologic procedures over the course of 7 days! They were able to evaluate and treat patients with Bladder Exstrophy, Posterior Urethral Valves, Pelvic Trauma, Megaureter, and Hypospadias.
L-R Dr. Heidi Stephany operating alongside Dr. Nenad Spasojevic
Patients in Lusaka, Zambia awaiting clinical evaluations from IVUmed volunteers, Drs. Ching and Stephany.
IVUmed volunteers, Dr. Christina Ching and Dr. Heidi Stephany, alongside Dr. Nenad Spasojevic and hospital staff at University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia April 2022
One patient, Michelle, a 3.5-year-old female, was found to have a large dilated left ureter with hydronephrosis after having recurrent urinary tract infections. She was initially managed with a nephrostomy tube (tube directly in her kidney) to help treat her recurrent infections and drain her kidney. She had dye injected into the nephrostomy tube confirming a drainage issue where the ureter enters the bladder (a ureterovesical junction obstruction). The local team ultimately removed her nephrostomy tube after her infection was treated but she needed a definitive fix to the problem. On our recent trip, Drs. Ching and Stephany did a ureteral reimplant of her left ureter and tapered her left ureter given how extremely dilated it was. She did great after surgery and we look forward to seeing if her hydroureteronephrosis improves and she stops getting urinary tract infections.
L-R Father of patient, Michelle (age 3), Dr. Christina Ching, Mother of patient, Dr. Heidi Stephany, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia, April 2022
CT scan of Michelle’s abdomen showing a significantly dilated left ureter
We are so excited to be back working hand in hand with our international partners. Congratulations Drs. Ching and Stephany on a successful workshop!
Our Scheduled Summer IVUmed Workshops for 2022:
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia – May 1-8, 2022 Reconstructive Urology
Kampala, Uganda – May 28-June 4, 2022 FPMR and Reconstructive Urology
Kampala and Mbale, Uganda – June 18-25, 2022 Urologic Oncology
Bujumbura, Burundi – August 16-20, 2022 Urologic Oncology/Pediatric Urology
Kigali, Rwanda – August 20-28, 2022 Urologic Oncology
Our mission is to make quality urological care available throughout the world. We accomplish this through a model of virtual and on-site surgical teaching workshops using volunteer doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers to provide urologic training to local medical providers. The goal of every IVU workshop is to Teach One, Reach Many.