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J Hand Microsurg 2021; 13(01): 16-20
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1721881
Review Article

Hand Surgery in Cambodia

Vaikunthan Rajaratnam
1   Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore
,
Norana Abdul Rahman
2   Subject Matter Expert (Medical Education), MEDEDTECH, London, United Kingdom
,
Yong-June Kim
3   Childrens’ Surgical Centre, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
,
Wee Leon Lam
4   Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, Scotland
,
James Gollogly
3   Childrens’ Surgical Centre, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
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Abstract

As a lower middle-income nation, Cambodia has made significant improvements in basic health but hand surgery development continues to lag behind due to scarcity of trained and quality surgical manpower. Most of the hand surgery development locally has been due to surgical volunteers from Asia, Europe, and the United States. The introduction of a structured and systematic community-oriented hand surgery training over a 5-year period was successful in producing local surgeons to meet the basic needs of hand surgery patients. Brachial plexus surgery has benefited significantly, with local surgeons able to independently manage cases with minimal support. With the expansion of local surgical manpower and guidance, motivation, and assistance of regional hand surgeons, the future of hand surgery in Cambodia looks promising.

Keywords

hand surgery - Cambodia - surgical volunteerism - hand surgery training - open educational resource - online learning


Publication History

Article published online:
31 December 2020

© 2020. Society of Indian Hand & Microsurgeons. This article is published by Thieme.

Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
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