In the lobby of Chung-Ang University Health Care System Hyundae Hospital in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, a Mongolian couple anxiously stated, "We have been waiting since April last year and finally received the surgery."
Their 11-year-old son was undergoing corrective surgery for clubfoot. Born with his feet turned inward like golf clubs, his condition worsened as he grew, preventing him from walking. His mother learned about the skills of Korean doctors while receiving treatment at the Mongolian National Trauma Center. She waited over a year for the hospital to open, reassured by the success of previous surgeries performed by the same medical team.
The surgery was conducted by Professor Ahn Jae-in, a leading expert in pediatric orthopedic surgery specializing in foot deformities at Chung-Ang University Health Care System Hyundae Hospital. Professor Ahn began with the boy's right foot, assisted by two local doctors who learned the surgical techniques. Constantly explaining as he operated, Professor Ahn stated the next day, "The surgery went well, but a supplementary surgery will be needed in 1-2 years. I have not seen as many such cases anywhere as in Mongolia." Simultaneously, Director Kim Boo-seob performed surgery on a patient with an anterior cruciate ligament tear from a basketball injury. After his operation, Director Kim joined Professor Ahn for a three-hour correction surgery on both of the boy’s feet.
Director Kim noted the increased difficulty due to the boy's age, with the condition becoming more rigid as he grew. He recalled a similar surgery on a 58-year-old clubfoot patient in Mongolia.