BY ADRIAN P. NEMES III
The Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City will have its first-ever pediatric vascular treatment scheduled next month, its chief, Dr. Julius Drilon, said yesterday.
Drilon said the first patients to undergo the treatment are children aged 2, 5 and 7, who, he said, have congenital anomalies.
He said that on May 7, CLMMRH was also able to successfully perform its second pacemaker surgery, a procedure for those who have heart blockage that triggers slow heart rate, a week after its historic first.
The surgical case was attended by Drs. Calvin Fernandez, Jorge Edward Masa, and Kris Laura Crucero-Manuel
The patient was a male surgeon, 48, who has a complete heart block. He needed a pacemaker due to the symptoms resulting from very slow heart rate. The surgery lasted for two hours and was closely monitored by a medical and surgical team, Drilon said.
“This milestone brings a significant impact on the lives of the people of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, as cardiovascular services will be made available, accessible, and affordable,” he added.
He also said that despite logistic obstacles, the CLMMRH is committed to implement the mandate of the Department of Health as a designated cardiovascular center pursuant to DOH Department Order 2021-0001.
Drilon said CLMMRH has been identified as an orthopedic, cancer, kidney transplant and cardiovascular center in Western Visayas, the reason why the hospital has been conducting organ transplants and other procedures.
But he said the cardiovascular procedures in CLMMRH were delayed for almost a year because of the slow building construction.
CLMMRH is also set to conduct interventional radiology, a medical subspecialty that performs various minimally-invasive procedures using medical imaging guidance, such as x-ray fluoroscopy, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or ultrasound.
By next year, CLMMRH will also be able to do open heart surgeries or bypass operations. Drilon said several specialists have signified their willingness to assist with these procedures. With these procedures, he said, residents need not go to Manila anymore or other provinces.*
