Walter Reed/NCR team conducts humanitarian, readiness mission in Honduras

By Bernard S. Little
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

A medical team from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (Walter Reed) and the National Capital Region (NCR) recently returned to the medical center after providing head and neck surgical oncology and advanced airway care and surgeries to patients during a two-week humanitarian and readiness mission in Honduras.

“This mission represents the ‘as-close-as-you-can-get’ to deploying without actually going to a combat zone,” stated U.S. Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Michael Orestes, Residency Program Director and Otolaryngology Consultant to the Surgeon General, explaining the exercise’s readiness purpose.

“It required participants to operate in non-ideal conditions, bringing experienced staff otolaryngologists, along with residents, to allow us to do this in a safe and effective manner,” Orestes explained. “The cases simulate the range of cases a deploying 60T (an otolaryngologist, or ENT doctor) would expect to see. This includes ear surgery, which is often requested with humanitarian operations and head and neck cancer, airway cases simulated exposure and management of laryngotracheal injuries, and vascular injuries a deploying 60T would be expected to encounter,” he added.

Orestes shared that another purpose for the Medical Readiness Training Exercise, or MEDRETE, that took place Aug. 17-31, was to collaborate with host national (Honduras) to enhance surgical capacities and consider barriers to implementation on future missions.”

In addition to Orestes, the medical team from Walter Reed and the NCR who went on the mission included neuro-otologist U.S. Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Anthony Tolisano, operating room nurse U.S. Army Lt. Col. Derral Prowant, surgical technicians U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jean Toviho and U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Maddalyn Secrist, otolaryngology residents U.S. Air Force Maj. (Dr.) David Millay, U.S. Army Maj. (Dr.) Nathaniel Miller, and U.S. Army Capt. (Dr.) Briana Murphy, anesthesiologists U.S. Army Maj. (Dr.) Kate Eliasen and Capt. (Dr.) Luciano Roman, anesthesiology residents U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. (Dr.) Davis Frease, and U.S. Air Force Capt. (Dr.) Collin Duffy.

The team saw approximately 160 patients in the clinic and 43 OR (operating room) cases during the two-week mission, Orestes shared. Of that total, 50 percent involved ear surgery, 25 percent concerned head and neck oncology, 10 percent dealt with laryngeal conditions (for vocal cord paralysis), and 15 percent involved pediatric and adult laryngotracheal stenosis.

According to Joint Task Force-Bravo (JTF-B), which coordinates the MEDRETE, “JTF-B and the U.S. is seen as a trusted, longstanding partner and strengthens ties with Honduras. JTF-B maintains a continued presence in the region, validating the U.S. commitment to regional security.”

JTF-B officials added that the medical team “receiving readiness training in austere environments [like the one in Honduras], provides an experience [and] training unavailable in the continental U.S. resulting [in] increased readiness of the force.”

Concerning the humanitarian aspect of the mission, JTF-B official added, “Honduras faces a range of health care challenges from access to quality health care services to health disparities in the underserved communities. These challenges have a direct impact on the lives of Honduran citizens. It is within this context the U.S. Embassy in Honduras has undertaken specialty medical efforts.”