Wednesday, August 19, 2015

198. Svay Rieng Day Five

Just two patients again today. I had been sharing an operating room with a general surgeon doing mainly hernias, but he left yesterday after just three days of surgery.  A lot of travel for just a few days, but he said that running a metropolitan trauma service left him burned out, and he thought that overseas work would be a win-win. There were also hints that a bitter divorce influenced his decision.

A vaginal hysterectomy for prolapse in a 48 year old, and bilateral removal of ovarian endometriomas in a 24 year old. In endometriosis, fragmented clusters of cells from the uterine lining migrate outside the uterus, ending up on surfaces anywhere in the abdominal cavity. On the ovary, these clusters can form cysts called endometriomas, or "chocolate cysts" because of the thick brown fluid contents of the cysts (encapsulated blood turns brown).

Endometriosis can cause painful periods and/or infertility and is difficult to treat, especially in Cambodia.

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