SPOTLIGHT
HOW SMART-C® EXPANDED ORTHOPEDIC IMAGING IN REMOTE AFRICA
During a medical mission in Chad, SMART-C provided on-demand fluoroscopic imaging when the hospital’s X-ray system was unavailable, supporting fracture assessment, surgical planning, and orthopedic intervention.
Organization: Adventist Health International
Location: Moundou, Chad
Setting: Mission hospital / Orthopedic surgery
Imaging need: Emergency orthopedic imaging
Challenge: Hospital X-ray system unavailable
During a medical mission in southern Chad, orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Appel encountered a patient with a severe lower extremity injury requiring urgent orthopedic evaluation. After arriving at Moundou Adventist Surgery Center, the team discovered the hospital’s X-ray system was out of service.
Fortunately, Dr. Appel had brought his SMART-C with him to Chad, providing portable, battery-powered fluoroscopic imaging for immediate fracture assessment, surgical planning, and orthopedic intervention.
THE CHALLENGE
In resource-limited environments, access to diagnostic imaging can be one of the biggest barriers to timely orthopedic care.
With the hospital’s conventional X-ray system unavailable, the surgical team needed portable imaging capable of supporting fracture visualization, alignment assessment, and real-time surgical decision-making directly in the operating environment.
SMART-C delivered immediate fluoroscopic imaging without relying on traditional radiology infrastructure.
“The hospital’s X-ray machine was broken.”
— Dr. James Appel
SMART-C® CLINICAL AND OPERATIONAL IMPACT
By bringing fluoroscopic imaging directly into the procedural environment, SMART-C supported fracture visualization, surgical planning, and orthopedic intervention despite the absence of traditional radiology infrastructure.
Following the initial trauma case, SMART-C continued supporting multiple orthopedic procedures, helping the surgical team evaluate fractures, assess alignment, and perform external fixation across a wide range of complex cases.
SMART-C supports:
- Real-time fluoroscopic imaging guidance
- Immediate fracture assessment
- Surgical planning and alignment evaluation
- Portable imaging for resource-limited environments
- Orthopedic workflow without a radiology suite
What began as a single emergency case quickly demonstrated how portable imaging can expand access to orthopedic care in challenging clinical environments.
ON-DEMAND
Fluoroscopic imaging guidance
DYNAMIC
Immediate fracture assessment
PORTABLE
Transported internationally
CONTINUITY
Orthopedic workflow maintained
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