Tenwek Vitals
361-bed Christian Mission Hospital
Hospital staff: 800+
Inpatients/year: 15,000+
Outpatients/year: 220,000+
Surgeries/year: 6,000
Births/year: approx. 3,000
Hospital-wide HMIS and radiology PACS system
Full-time missionary staff includes physicians in:
General and Orthopedic Surgery
Family Practice
Internal Medicine
Neurosurgery
Pediatrics
Pediatric Surgery
OB/GYN
Ophthalmology
Gastroenterology
The Otolaryngologist’s Role at Tenwek
Otolaryngology is a critical specialty at Tenwek Hospital. Services are presently supplied by visiting short-term physicians 3-4 times a year. As ENT surgeons, we are usually busy from the day we arrive. Our role is both teaching and clinical.
Clinical duties include seeing patients in clinic and operating throughout the week. We are intimately involved with the PACS surgery residents’ training in Otolaryngology. These residents will be providing surgical care to remote areas in Kenya and beyond. Their skills in ENT are greatly needed.
Daily Schedule
A typical day includes rounding on patients with the general surgery team. Grand Rounds Conference includes both medical and surgical topics. During our visit, we usually provide one lecture of interest on an ENT topic. Operative cases usually start around 9 a.m.
We also spend time in the Casualty area which is busy and accounts for up to 50% of the operative cases that are performed.
Our clinic is now located in the new Eye and Dental Building where we work next to our Dental colleagues. We have basic clinic instruments and flexible laryngoscopes available for use. We have access in the clinic to a minor operating room and we are building available ENT- specific equipment.
Operative Experience
Typical cases seen at Tenwek include head and neck infections, airway obstruction, facial trauma, head and neck benign and malignant tumors, Mandibular cysts, thyroid goiters, cleft lip and palate. Cases of Tuberculosis of the head and neck, Anthrax, and trauma secondary to motor bikes, machetes, arrowheads, and buffalo also are seen.
The ENT-specific equipment at Tenwek Hospital is being developed. We presently have an ENT microscope in the operating theater.We have basic laryngosocopy, esophagoscopy, and bronchoscopy equipment. Our ENT tower includes a 0 and 30 degree endoscopy, camera head and HD screen.
We have basic endoscopy and nasal instruments. Head and neck resections use general surgery equipment and we have a maxillofacial plating set. We work closely with the anesthesia team which consists of nurse anesthetists and anesthesia techs. They are very skilled in difficult airways and provide excellent care of the breadth of our patients.
An Extraordinary Experience
Volunteering to serve at Tenwek is an extraordinary experience. There is something about giving of your skills and time to those in need that refreshes and renews you. Christ as the Great Physician will be your guide and strength as you encounter advanced diseases. It is also an amazing blessing to sow into the lives of the surgical residents who will be serving their people as the General Surgeons of the region. Serving at Tenwek is life changing.
