Darnall Army Medical Center team restores sight for hundreds of Panamanians
“God bless your hands,” was just one expression of gratitude for medical professionals from Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center that helped support an Operation Panamanian partnership from late August to early September.
The team, comprising Army ophthalmologists, nurses, operating room technicians and patient administrators , performed more than 100 cataract surgeries at Hospital San Miguel Arcángel, helping Panamanians regain their vision and improve their quality of life.
Maj. Cameron Maxon and Maj. Shyam Patel, anesthesiologists; and Maj. Matthew Ricci, an ophthalmologist, represented the CRDAMC team
“From the surgeon’s standpoint, one of the main difficulties was the severity of the cataracts we were seeing,” said Ricci. “The cataracts were more severe than most we see in the United States, which made surgery more technically challenging.”
The collaboration with our Army nursing and anesthesia team and the local nurses and anesthesiologists made things easy for us and allowed us to focus solely on performing surgery, he added.
“Overall, it was an exceptional experience,” said Patel. “We made an impact on over 100 people directly, bonded with the local anesthesiologists and shared our various experiences and expertise.”
Cataracts, a clouding of the eye’s lens that can cause blurred vision and blindness, can significantly affect a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. Through the partnership program, the Army medical team provided surgical care to patients whose vision had been impaired by the condition for many years.
“Though not involved in the post-operative care as an anesthesiologist, I heard of all the gratitude from the various other ophthalmologists,” said Patel. “During the first week, one of the doctors informed me that a patient started crying as she was able to see for the first time in over 10 years. She was able to see her grandkids for the first time.”
Maxon, a father of three, felt the entire mission was defined as a success after treating a mother who had developed severe cataracts while undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. “A mother with children the same age as mine, hadn’t seen one of her children since they were an infant. Another child she hadn’t seen since birth,” said Maxon. “She said she could never thank us enough for restoring her vision and letting her finally see her babies.”
The mission demonstrated the value of collaboration among medical professionals and strengthened the partnership through the delivery of specialized care to the Panamanian community.
The team navigated a minor language barrier, a new environment, and new or unfamiliar equipment. By combining their expertise alongside local medical partners, the team demonstrated they were medically ready to perform cataract surgeries in austere environments, enhance their medical skills and support international medical cooperation.
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