Introduction of Microsurgery in Vietnam by a Charitable Organization: A 14-Year Experience

Prior to 1989, microsurgical reconstructive procedures in Vietnam were rare. Under the auspices of Operation Smile, such techniques were introduced in the Military Hospital #108 in Hanoi, and subsequently to the Center for Traumatology in Ho Chi Minh City and the Plastic Surgery Center in Hanoi. Over a 14-year period, 10 missions to Vietnam performed approximately 250 plastic surgical cases, including more than 125 free tissue transfers. There were no flap failures. As a result of these missions, Vietnamese surgeons now independently perform microsurgical procedures with a high level of proficiency. Operation Smile missions have emphasized education in specialized areas such as facial reanimation, free fibula transfer, one-stage penile reconstruction, and perforator flaps. Repeat missions have allowed for patient follow-up, as well as additional educational exchange. Several Vietnamese surgeons have traveled abroad to obtain additional training and have set up training sessions for other areas in Vietnam. Charitable organizations can facilitate the introduction of complex medical procedures such as microsurgery to developing countries.