Ukrainian doctors visit Baltimore to learn new ways of treating traumatic war wounds
BALTIMORE -- A group of doctors from war-torn Ukraine is working with medical professionals in Maryland to bring back new skills to their operating rooms halfway around the world.
The small group of Ukrainian doctors is in Baltimore on a life-saving mission more than 4,000 miles from their home.
At Medstar Good Samaritan Hospital they encountered nurses, surgeons, and other staff who are experts in caring for severe wounds, reconstructive surgery following critical injuries, and amputations.
It's knowledge medical professionals in Baltimore are sharing with Ukrainian doctors who are overwhelmed with caring for people who have been injured in the battlefield.
"So as everybody knows, it's a full scale war," Dr. Taras Voloshym said.
Voloshym is visiting from Ukraine. He described the severity of injuries he's seeing in the operating room in Ukraine.
"It is mostly blast injury. So, it's like the most difficult severe injuries you can imagine," Voloshym said. "We are trying to save their limbs. We're using lots of plastic surgery. We do plastic surgery to manage soft tissue problems."
Dr. Kritis Dasgupta, the chair of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital, said he was happy to assist the Ukrainian doctors during their visit to Baltimore.
"It's an honor for us to share our expertise in this area, kind of also learn what their approach to care is and, give them useful things that will help all of the patients who are wounded back in the Ukraine," Dasgupta said.
This trip to America not only gives a first-hand look and how these Ukrainian doctors can care for their patients, but it also provides access to a network of doctors who can answer questions from another continent.
"It's precious," Voloshym said. "I am so thankful to people of America and our American colleagues to help us and being with us."
The group of doctors also visited a second hospital in Baltimore where they were able to meet with a hand surgeon who was born in Ukraine.