Dr Etzkorn's first ERCP in Cambodia

Today the Borland Groover Clinic team along with Dr. Etzkorn performed the first ERCP ever at the hospital WorldHOPE's Sihanok in Phenom Phen that they are visiting. The patient has had recurrent right upper quadrant pain for several years and had ultrasound which demonstrated what appeared to be a dilated common bile duct. MRCP is not available in this city, also endoscopic  ultrasound is not available in the country of Cambodia. The surgeons had requested the ERCP to better understand the anatomy of the patient and to decide if surgical intervention might help in the symptomatology.

A large choledochal cyst was found

The bats of Battambang

Every night the bats of Battambang

 exit from a cave and literally hundreds and thousands of bats swirl out into the evening air

Dr. Tek opens the dedicated BGC endoscopy center and of our mission

We came with the principal goal of establishing the ability to perform primary endoscopy, Both upper and lower endoscopy. Borland Groover clinic provided both upper and lower endoscopes and the scopes power supply and processing support. In addition to high definition monitor and and the scope support instruments. Additional endoscopic accessories were donated by several vendors.

With the equipment properly put in place, and appropriate training on scope care and cleaning, Dr. Tek will remain at Handa medical center to continue the endoscopic training of the physicians and nurses.

Dr. Etzkorn and the rest of the crew will then head to Phnom Penh in Cambodia, there, they will set up a new ERCP program with a donated ERCP scope. The next several days will be dedicated to instructing on scope maintenance, and the art of ERCP.

There are several patients already lined up for therapeutic ERCP.

Tiffany and preparation of the biopsy

Everything is done from scratch!

Teaching the art of scope care

Angie and Tiffany instruct nurses and technical staff on care and cleaning of the scopes.

Handa operating physician's and nurses

The main future surgical /endoscopic team at the Handa medical center with Dr Tek and Dr Etzkorn

Into the operating room we go!

The front to the ER

Fee schedule for those who have funds

The making of a 4 by 4 gauze from basics

The OR & set up

Getting the equipment to the OR

Opening the equipment

Finally in Battambang & our first look at the Borland Groover Endoscopy Annex

Our trip to Battambang

We trekked today , 3 hours over recently washed out roads and at times minimally repaired to Cambodia's 2nd largest city , Battambang. On the way saw a few interesting sights: 

Dr Tek & Dr Etzkorn 's trek

Dr Tek & Dr Etzkorn after spending four hours of a long trek overland of poor roads reach a temple along the Thai/Cambodian border which has seen much international news attention over the years. 

Our first full day

Yesterday Am, our trek to the Thai border. , the AM sunrise!

The start of nearly 26 hours of travel ahead for this group.

Off to Cambodia today!!

In four days we head to Cambodia.