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CardioStart will return to Arequipa, Peru, October 6 – October 18, 2013.  In this mission, we will again work at the Honorio Delgado Hospital in Arequipa, Peru and continue development of the Adult Cardiac Surgical Program and Outreach Initiatives. This is CardioStart’s 12th mission to Peru over the past 17 years. Volunteers with serious medical conditions should carefully consider obtaining consultation/approval from their doctor prior to joining the mission due to the high altitude at greater than 8,000 feet. Arequipa, Peru Arequipa is an ancient city positioned at approximately 8,000-8,500 [...]

Ghana has been viewed as one of Africa’s most stable democracies, becoming a republic in July 1960. It is the first African nation to achieve independence from its colonial heritage under the United Kingdom in 1957. Very few West African countries have the resources to provide optimum cardiac care to their populations. Cardiac surgery requires relatively sophisticated diagnostic and surgical techniques and high level infrastructure operated by personnel with advanced training and expertise. The availability of cardiac surgeons per million of the population in North America and Europe is more [...]

During recent missions to Peru and Uganda, CardioStart perfusionists were grateful to receive a large donation of cardioplegia solution from Essential Pharmaceuticals, LLC. This vital solution protects the heart muscle during complex cardiac surgery. Essential Pharmaceuticals is a leader in the market of life-saving pharmaceuticals provided for the care of transplants and transplant recipients.  One of their products, Custodiol HTK, has been adapted for the use of cardiac surgery and is particularly helpful during CardioStart’s missions which demand efficient and reliable yet simple delivery methods.  CardioStart volunteer perfusionists have worked hand-in-hand [...]