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u of c fellowship to train surgeons helping victims of war in ukraine
the need for specialized care in treating, repairing and reconstructing the eye after such complex blast injuries will persist for decades, said dr. michael kryshtalskyj
jul 7 2024
3 minute read
university of calgary surgeons dr. karim punja (right) and dr. michael kryshtalskyj examine patient margo sandy at the orbit eye centre in calgary on thursday, july 4, 2024. the doctors will be helping to train eye surgeons from ukraine.
jim wells/postmedia
helping ukrainians caught in the crossfire of a seemingly unending war, the university of calgary has created a unique humanitarian fellowship to support the treatment of eye injuries in the embattled region.
the u of c’s cumming school of medicine has invited two ocular specialists from ukraine, now on the front lines of ophthalmic trauma caused by war, to come here this fall and receive training in advanced periocular reconstructive techniques.
dr. michael kryshtalskyj, md, a fourth-year ophthalmology resident at the u of c who helped develop the program, explained that eye injuries from explosives and flying shrapnel during the drawn-out war are becoming increasingly common.
“blast injuries are the predominant mechanism causing these injuries, where a massive, highly explosive shell will go off, propelling foreign bodies and small fragments into the eye area.”
the need for specialized care in treating, repairing and reconstructing the eye after such complex blast injuries will persist for decades, he added.
“fellowship opportunities for ukrainian ophthalmologists to train in orbit and oculofacial plastic surgery will ensure that ukraine has the capacity to care for these important injuries in the years to come.”
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kryshtalskyj has deep roots in ukraine, with both of his maternal and paternal grandparents being from the region. his father was born in canada, while his mother was born in poland.
“i grew up speaking ukrainian at home … i remember when the war broke out last year, it was such shocking news, warfare in europe of this scale again.
“i wanted to help, but i didn’t know how at first.”
hopes for fellowship to heal and educate
the idea for the humanitarian fellowship grew out of an impromptu conversation between kryshtalskyj and dr. karim punja, md, an orbit and oculofacial plastic surgeon, and clinical associate professor at the u of c.
kryshtalskyj is also the co-founder of the canadian ophthalmological society foundation’s eyes on ukraine initiative, a pan-canadian program dedicated to supporting the treatment of eye injuries in ukraine.
both kryshtalskyj and punja say the training program will also ensure ukrainian surgeons who learn new skills here will pay it forward and ultimately train other surgeons in the region once they return home.
even though there are more than 50 million people living in ukraine, and casualties of war are mounting by the thousands, kryshtalskyj estimates there are no more than a handful of surgeons there trained in ophthalmic trauma care.
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punja hopes the fellowship can not only help heal, but also educate those affected by the russian invasion.
“the devastating effects of war extend beyond the battlefield, leaving lasting scars on the bodies and lives of those affected,” punja said.
“recognizing the acute shortage of oculofacial plastic surgery expertise, we devised a fellowship that is as much about healing those impacted by war as it is about learning.”
‘every day, i am fighting my war in the operating room’
dr. olga denysiuk, md, phd, is one of the two ukrainian surgeons selected for the fellowship, spending her summer on the frontlines of trauma care, with plans to arrive here within months.
“every day, i am fighting my war in the operating room,” denysiuk said.
“cases of eye trauma are mounting and it’s critical that we have surgeons trained to delicately manage eyelid and orbital injuries.”
dr. oksana petrenko, md, phd, will also participate.
both will spend four months immersed in advanced surgical techniques in calgary, then return to ukraine for another four months to apply those skills with virtual and in-person surgical mentorship from punja, kryshtalskyj and other alberta health services surgeons.
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training sites will include the foothills medical centre, rockyview general hospital, alberta children’s hospital, holy cross surgical services and orbit eye centre.
the two doctors will then return again to calgary for four months for further training, completing the cycle and then heading back to ukraine to train other surgeons.
punja says the one-year format allows gradual learning, along with providing care where the new skills are needed most.
“the surgical training is far more impactful by joining my students and their learners in ukraine,” he says.
“it will also allow me to better understand the horrific reality of their situation and how best to garner additional support in terms of capital equipment, surgical supplies, and learning resources.”
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