A Humanitarian Work Brings Together 3 Latin American Physicians

Jesse Leon (Ecuador), Moses Chitric (Panama) and Jacobo Zafrani (Costa Rica)

Humanitarian work is always good when someone does it voluntarily. However, the result is even better when more than one person joint to help.

An example that we have about this is the work done by three Latin doctors who have been working for several years in Latin America with patients who suffer obesity and other eating disorders that it generates.

Jesse Leon (Ecuador), Moses Chitric (Panama) and Jacobo Zafrani (Costa Rica) are three physicians who have performed hundreds of laparoscopic, bariatric and metabolic diseases surgeries in different countries of Latin America at no cost.

Applying the latest trend in laparoscopic bariatric combined surgeries these three doctors make a procedure called “single-port surgery” or “single cut”, which consists in making a small wound (one to two centimeters) in the scar of the navel and using the appropriate instruments, is removed, stapling, suturing, etc.., anywhere in the body.

This technique is used today to reduce the stomach in obese people. However, Jesse assures us that “sleeve gastrectomy” (procedure previously used to shrink the stomach), today is no longer used. The technique they employ is the “Gastric Plication,” which has the same result, without cutting the stomach.

The advantage of this technique is that it reduces post-operative risks, reducing pain, bleeding and future hernias.

In Guayaquil, Ecuador, with the support from Hospital Universitario and the Hospital Teodoro Maldonado (IESS), Jesse, Moses and James operate about 3 patients per day who suffer from obesity, diabetes, hypertension, without charging a penny, often saving their lives to their patients and best of all, reducing the risks that surgery could bring.

(BG)