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A surgeon from the Celestino Hernández Robau Oncological Hospital in Santa Clara performed for the first time in the history of Villa Clara a mediastinal tumor biopsy using the Uniportal VATS technique, and the patient walked home less than 48 hours after the procedure.
Dr. Joel Ramos Rodríguez, a General Surgeon specialized in Oncological Thoracic Surgery, announced the achievement on Facebook: "For the first time in the history of Thoracic Surgery in Villa Clara, we performed a biopsy of a mediastinal tumor through a 5 cm chest wound, assisted by a video camera. (Uniportal VATS)."
The patient is Nayelis Torres, a 23-year-old woman from Matanzas who placed her trust in the Villa Clara team to confront a tumor whose diagnosis was still uncertain.
This Sunday, Dr. Ramos himself shared images and a video documenting the outcome: "Nayelis, a 23-year-old woman from Matanzas, walks towards her home less than 48 hours after complex thoracic surgery. Without a pleural drain, breathing on her own, reclaiming her life."
The Uniportal VATS technique allows for complex thoracic procedures to be performed through a single incision of 2.5 to 5 cm, without the need to separate the ribs, significantly reducing postoperative pain and hospital stay compared to conventional open surgery.
It was created by Dr. Diego González Rivas, a Spanish surgeon who performed the first global case in June 2010 in A Coruña and has taught the technique in over 138 countries.
Dr. Ramos recognized him as "the founding father of this surgical technique" and also thanked Dr. Rodolfo Morales (Cuba) and Dr. Mario Bustos (Argentina) for their guidance in his training.
The surgery was not performed at the Celestino Hernández Robau Oncology Hospital, but at the "Ernesto Guevara de la Serna" Cardiocenter in Santa Clara, which provided its minimally invasive surgery tower.
"This victory was made possible thanks to the solidarity and greatness of the Ernesto Guevara Cardiocentro Hospital, which opened its doors to us and allowed us to use its minimally accessible tower. Without them, this story would not have been written," wrote the doctor.
The surgical team included anesthesiologist Dr. Nazco, Lic. Gleibis and her team from the Surgical Unit, the Intensive Care personnel, General Surgeon Dr. Sergio León, and Dr. Marcia María O'Farril, a reconstructive surgeon and wife of Dr. Ramos.
After the achievement, the surgeon highlighted a troubling reality that overshadows the milestone: the Celestino Hernández Robau Oncology Hospital is the only surgical hospital in Santa Clara that lacks a minimally invasive surgery tower.
"We have a trained human team, the experience, and above all, the willingness to apply these techniques to our oncology patients, who would greatly benefit from a quicker and less painful recovery," he noted.
The doctor was careful in stating his claim: "We are not asking anyone to give up what is theirs; we hope, one day, that our hospital can acquire the equipment we lack, to be worthy of what our patients deserve."
Villa Clara reports a cancer incidence of 140 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with lung cancer being among the most common, making systematic access to these techniques at the main oncology center in the province especially urgent.
Nayelis Torres is at home waiting for the biopsy results. Dr. Ramos concluded his message with a promise: "We continue to dream of an operating room that meets the standards our patients deserve, and we are working to ensure that this small step becomes a significant advancement for everyone."
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