Hospital Fray Bernardino Alvarez, Ciudad de México, México.

Background To alleviate the significant worldwide burden of surgical disease, nongovernmental organisations engage in short-term surgical outreach. Short-term surgical missions (STSMs) have underreported long-term effects, which raises questions about clinical results and patient satisfaction with necessary general procedures. With an emphasis on patient-related outcomes and satisfaction, this study intends to evaluate long-term follow-up findings of general surgery treatment provided by one humanitarian organisation in rural Ghana. Methods From 2013 through 2018, the annual 1-week International Surgical Health Initiative (ISHI) STSMs were held at the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital in Mampong, Ghana. Beginning in 2016, follow-up clinics provided by ISHI providers were enhanced via mobile telephone support. The local nursing staff got in touch with surgical patients from 2013 to 2016 to assess their long-term results and level of satisfaction. Results 39 patients (57%) were interviewed and evaluated by an ISHI doctor, and 30 patients (43%) received mobile telephone follow-up. Sixty-nine out of 256 patients (27%) answered. Patients' average age was 47 (18) years old, and the average follow-up period was 1.5 (1) years. 11 patients (16%) experienced difficulties related to surgery and anaesthesia. All patients noted an improvement in their symptoms and level of activity. 86 patients expressed total satisfaction (5/5). Complications and advancing age were associated with lower patient satisfaction (5/5) factors. Conclusions This is one of the earliest studies that we are aware of that focuses on patient-reported outcomes for the assessment of long-term follow-up of general surgery STSMs. Long-term follow-up is possible with the help of mobile technologies in order to get meaningful results. In this series, complications are within a tolerable range, although symptom relief and general satisfaction are both quite high.

Global surgery, Outcomes, West Africa, Missions

Shahid Kakooei. Results and Patient Satisfaction from Long-Term Follow-Up of Humanitarian Surgery in Rural Ghana. Insights Journal of Surgery and Clinical Case Reports 2020.