Too many knee operations and not enough instruments to do them... What to do?!

Carlos M. Minino P. lent the Operation Walk Freedom to Move teams instruments to make sure all our patients got there surgeries

From left- Hugh Potter, Carlos M. Minino, and Dr. Hans Moller

This year we ended up short on instruments for knee surgeries. We have teams enough and rooms available but surgeries were being delayed while we waited for the instruments to get cleaned and sterilized between cases. Obviously, this is very frustrating but the team in the DR is not easily thwarted.

Dr. John Tessier got on the horn with his colleague Dr. Fredrick Bennelle who works at “Caballeros” Metropolitan Hospital of Santiago HOMS. Dr. Bennelle was able to put Dr. Tessier in contact with the local DePuy rep, Carlos M. Minino.

OWFTM has always been fortunate to have generous support of instrument and device manufacturers who are not only willing to donate their products but also the individuals who work for those companies never hesitate to help out. Mr. Minino is no exception. He located the needed tools for knee surgeries and offered them for use during the mission.

The only obstacle left was getting the instruments to the mission as they were an hour away. Hugh Potter and mission newcomer Dr. Hans Moller answered the call and made the harrowing drive to Mr. Minino’s office to pick up the loaner instruments. They were back in two hours looking only slightly rattled from the drive.  With the instruments, the mission will be able to complete 6 to 8 additional knee replacements. What a difference it will be to those patients. A huge shout out to Carlos Minino and DePuy. Great job team!

"Movement is life, freedom, and independence."
​-Dr. Paul Duwelius, Founder of Freedom to Move