Dr. Alexandros Mallios is a vascular surgeon at l’Institut Mutualiste Montsouris in Paris, France. He borrowed a Sonosite M-Turbo ultrasound machine for medical missions to Guatemala and Jamaica. He kindly agreed to be interviewed by Sonosite regarding his volunteer medical work.
What made you want to enter the medical field?
Initially, I wanted to be a psychiatrist. Growing up as a child, I had seen mentally ill people in my environment and I was sensitized to their problems. Later when I was 15 years old, I had an operation for removal of a vascular malformation behind my right knee. This probably affected my decision to follow a career in surgery.
What kind of ultrasound training do you have?
I trained during an ultrasound fellowship, but also improved my skills gradually while using it in my daily practice. I use it for preoperative, perioperative and postoperative control. It is of paramount importance and critical element for the success of my cases.
What group(s) do you volunteer with?
I work with Bridge of Life, a non-for profit organization sponsored by DaVita and donations. We have performed surgical missions for arteriovenous fistula creation in Jamaica in adults (2013), and in Guatemala for kids (in 2016). Bridge of Life does medical missions all over the world.
What do you like the most about medical volunteering?
I like having the opportunity to help people who have no access to basic care. They are so grateful, especially compared to the average Western patient. You know the type, never satisfied, complaining about everything… coffee is cold…10 minutes of delay before having his surgery… everything.
Do you have a story that you want to share about any medical trips you have taken?
The second time that I traveled to Guatemala, I had a repeat patient. There was a girl who I had operated on before that had developed a stenosis on her fistula. I had to perform a short bypass. Her mother came to me after surgery and she told me with tears in her eyes that my hands were blessed by God.
Did anyone else accompany you during your medical mission?
On this last trip, I was joined by Sara Hendren, who represents the Bridge of Life organization. My other coworkers were Professor William Jennings, a surgeon from the University of Oklahoma; and two nurse anesthetists who specialize in pediatrics, Don Wood and Lavonna Sanders.
Can readers donate toward your trips?
People can donate through the Bridge of Life website. People can also follow my blog.
About Sonosite Global Health Programs
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 60% of the world’s population has no access to diagnostic medical imaging. Sonosite is working to lower that statistic.
FUJIFILM Sonosite’s Global Health program provides free loaned ultrasound machines to physicians traveling to under-served regions of the world. These practitioners bring advanced ultrasound technology and educational programs to patients that would otherwise have no access to this imaging modality due to social conditions, remote locations, or lack of funds.
While FUJIFILM Sonosite supports the improvement of health care in the global community, we do not officially endorse any of the charities and organizations that are mentioned, or linked to, on our Global Health pages.