Dr. Caceres Brings to Ecuador a New treatment to Regenerate Nerves

A successful doctor from Cuenca, Ecuador, developed a new technique in Barcelona, Spain, that allows the regeneration of the nerves that allow the mobility of the brachial plexus. Doctor Juan Pablo Caceres returns to his home country to treat patients with this injury.

Doctor Caceres studied at Universidad de Cuenca, in Ecuador. Caceres specialized in general and digestive surgery in Hospital Clinica Provincial de Barcelona (1987-1991) there he learned with a community of peripheral nerves and microsurgery. The work of doctor Caceres focused in the surgery of nerves and the brachial plexus. Dr. Caceres established himself in Barcelona, Spain after finishing his studies and continued with his career as a successful surgeon.

The brachial plexus is group of nerves that start in the cervical spine, which allows the movement of arms. These nerves give mobility to the shoulder, elbow, arm, and hand. According to Dr. Caceres, the damages of such nerves occur by fall, bike accidents, among others, the nerve fails when there is head trauma or other injury.

As a counter measure for this paralysis, Dr. Caceres began a project three years ago to see if there existed a unit dedicated to the treatment of injuries in the brachial plexus. Soon Caceres discovered that patients with this affliction did not receive any treatment at all. Afterwards several rehabilitation programs began to treat these patients because even after the proper surgery, patients could not move the damaged arm properly. This depends of the seriousness of the affected plexus, since it is a group of 7 or 8 roots that start in the spine. The results of the rehabilitation post-surgery are perceived after a year of therapy.

The work that Dr. Caceres performs allows injured patients with this affliction to recover a great deal of movement. The surgeries have duration of eight hours and two teams of doctors are needed, one team removes the nerves from the ribs, while the other quickly attaches them to damaged nerves of the brachial plexus.

The most recent case the doctor attended was in the Alcivar Hospital; during his first surgeries the doctor offered his services freely to treat such injuries. Afterwards the Provincial Department of Health of Guayas financed the medical cases. At the moment Dr. Caceres has performed 20 surgeries in all the country. The standard price of these procedures have a price of 4,000 to 6,000 dollars only in the surgeon fees, the final amount which comprehends a total of 8,000 to 10,000 dollars include the hospital expenses.

Finally doctor Juan Pablo Caceres is in talks with Crusade for a New Humanity Foundation to offer his services to the less fortunate that suffer from this affliction. Caceres will also return on June 24 to teach the Ecuadorian doctors his technique.