In this research group, the research areas of global surgery and reconstructive plastic surgery meet. The research is to a large extent focused on the development and improvement of surgical health care including surgical techniques, surgical training and in the end improved outcome for patients in Sweden as well as globally. Internationalisation is at the core of this research group and we collaborate widely with partners from several other disciplines and in countries of all income levels.
Photo: Getty ImagesIn a study conducted in Uganda and published in JAMA Surgery, researchers from Karolinska Institutet evaluated a new surgical method for treating groin hernias in women. The method could become an alternative in resource-limited settings where laparoscopic techniques are not generally available.
Photo: privateAssociate Professor Jenny Löfgren is research group leader of the group Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Global Surgery at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery.
Most of us will need surgical treatment at some point in our lives. We develop cancer, obstetric complications or suffer from different types of traumatic injuries. Once that happens, we take for granted that the health care system will be able to provide us with timely surgical interventions as required. In many countries, this is not the case.
Five billion people do not have access to quality surgical services at an affordable cost when needed. Lack of surgical healthcare costs lives and money. Each year, surgical conditions cause the loss of 16.9 million lives. This is more than the number of deaths from tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria combined. The burden of surgical disease is highest in sub-Saharan Africa where access to surgery is most limited.
Surgical procedures are often highly cost-effective. Conditions that result in a significant burden of disease and where surgery is an important part of the treatment should be prioritized. Groin hernia, paediatric surgical conditions and breast and colorectal cancer meet these criteria.
