Of course, surgery does not stand still: we see new technologies and new equipment, which allow conducting manipulations we could not even imagine before – they do wonders. But the main wonder in the operating room should be the man, the surgeon. The end result of operations depends first of all on him. His knowledge and skills make a huge impact on people’s lives and health.
No matter how far the technical progress goes, the most important thing in the operating room is the surgeon armarium: lancets, forceps, pincers, scissors... Those are the “basic tools of any surgeon” and they should always be in perfect working condition, for the surgeon to be fully armed.
Unfortunately, the key surgery departments of Zaporozhzhye – of the Fifth Children’s Hospital and the Regional Children’s Hospital – currently feel a strong deficit of the basic tools. Big operating sets which were produced in the USSR have become outdated long ago and as you understand it is not possible to purchase them anymore. Today doctors have to buy the required tools with their own money. It is unacceptable. Of course, we have difficulties in all spheres, but still, surgery is often the frontline of the fight for the lives of Zaporozhzhye children.
The complete list of the required armarium:
• Curved 1*2 toothed Kocher’s forceps for newborns – 10,
• Straight 1*2 toothed Kocher’s forceps No. 2 160 mm – 20,
• Vertically curved crocodile 1*2 toothed Kocher’s forceps 160 mm – 30,
• Vertically curved crocodile 1*2 toothed Kocher’s forceps 200 mm No. 3 – 50,
• Curved crocodile forceps (Pean, Bilroth) No. 1 160 mm – 60,
• Curved on flat mosquito crocodile forceps (Vorsma) 154 mm – 60,
• Curved on flat mosquito forceps 125 mm – 10,
• Dissection forceps 250 mm PA – 6,
• Surgical forceps PKh 150 mm – 50,
• General surgical needle holder 160 mm – 40,
• Straight and curved packer 270 mm – 20,
• Holder to big disposable blades (19 -24) 130 mm – 20,
• Straight blunt surgical scissors 150 mm – 30,
• Vertical curved blunt surgical scissors 150 mm – 20,
• Straight blunt scissors 170 mm – 10,
• Vertically curved neurosurgical scissors 175 mm with narrow rounded blades – 3,
• Vertically curved blood vessel scissors 160 mm – 5,
• Horizontally curved scissors for cutting bandage with a button 185 mm – 3,
• Dissection forceps PA 150 mm – 50,
• Dissection forceps PA 200 mm – 20.
The retail price of one surgeon armarium set as of mid-February 2015 is a little more than UAH 52,000 (1, 863 US dollars). With support of our friends and partners, we managed to negotiate the price of UAH 39,402 (1,412 US dollars). Thus, two surgeon armarium sets for the central children’s hospitals will cost approximately UAH 80,000 (2,867 US dollars). Plus foreign exchange rate adjustment at the date of purchase, we can’t ignore it.
Those are “light” sets with the most vital and necessary tools. It would be perfect to purchase two sets for every hospital. But there are always unlimited needs and very limited resources. Thus, so far our target is to buy one set for every healthcare facility.
We ask you to help us raise money to purchase surgeon armarium for the Fifth Children’s Hospital and the Zaporozhzhe Regional Children’s Hospital. Your support will allow providing tools for the surgery departments of children’s hospitals for the nearest years.
