Long-Term Impact of Humanitarian PCNL Surgeries by the Sadilka Foundation: A 20-Year Ultrasound Analysis

The Sadilka Foundation has made significant strides in improving access to quality urological care in underserved regions of India through its humanitarian missions in partnership with Jeev Sewa Sansthan. Utilizing a “teach-the-teacher” approach, these missions offer both free treatment for local communities and onsite surgical training for local healthcare providers. Over the past 20 years, various mission teams have included high school students, medical students, urology residents, fellows, and practicing urologists. A recent revisit to Mahuva in November 2022 highlighted the enduring impact of these educational initiatives on local urological care. The foundation has conducted numerous missions to cities such as Bhopal, Ajmer, Bharuch, Rajkot, and Mahuva, with a focus on evaluating the number of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) procedures performed at the Sadbhavna Trust Hospital. Initially, the hospital lacked the capability to perform PCNL surgeries, necessitating open surgical interventions for kidney stone treatment. Thanks to the foundation’s training efforts, the hospital’s primary OB-GYN surgeon mastered the PCNL technique and has been performing an average of 50 PCNL surgeries weekly, translating to approximately 2,600 procedures annually. This represents over 50,000 patients benefiting from low-cost or free PCNL treatments in the past two decades. During the 2022 mission, the foundation’s team performed 38 PCNL procedures and introduced innovative techniques such as ultrasound-guided access, supine positioning, and totally tubeless PCNL, which could enhance patient outcomes while reducing hospital stays and costs. This study demonstrates the long-lasting impact of short-term medical missions and the importance of training local physicians to improve healthcare delivery in underserved populations.