Cambodia

Cambodia

The kadoorie senior orthopaedic fellowship, children’s surgical centre (csc), Phnom penh, Cambodia

Established in 1998 by Dr Jim Gollogly, CSC is a Non-Government-Organisation hospital in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. The city has a population of 2 million and is undergoing major redevelopment. The hospital provides free care for the poor of Cambodia, with an emphasis on children, but also treats adults. 20,000 patients are seen each year, and 5000 procedures performed. The orthopaedic/plastics department is staffed by 7 senior Khmer surgeons and 3 surgeons in training (SHO equivalent).

The pathology is varied and presentation is often delayed. Lower limb long bone infection and fractures present late with non and mal-union requiring surgical reconstruction. CSC is the only hospital that routinely accepts referrals for sarcomas and as the pathology is generally advanced at the time of presentation, amputation or innovative limb-sparing surgery is often required. The hospital has recently acquired funding to assist with the provision of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Although limited in comparison to the developed world the surgical inventory is sufficient to support the majority of orthopaedic surgical procedures, including limb deformity correction with circular frames, hip arthroplasty and limited spinal surgery.