Regional Hospital of Baixo Amazonas performs unprecedented surgery for oncological treatment
Gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy is an important procedure for patients with gastric cancer. The surgery was successfully performed using the unit's new video tower.
As a reference in medium and high complexity in western Pará, the Dr. Waldemar Penna Regional Hospital of Baixo Amazonas (HRBA), in Santarém, performed another unprecedented surgical procedure in the city and region: gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy. The surgery involves the removal of part or all of the stomach and nearby lymph nodes and is very important for the treatment of patients with gastric cancer.
The procedure was a success thanks to the technique of videolaparoscopy, which allows access to internal organs through small incisions. It is performed with the aid of a camera connected to optics, introduced through the abdominal wall, and is manipulated with the help of forceps. Last year, the unit received a new 4K video tower from the State Department of Public Health (Sespa), which assists in surgeries like this one.
"This is a milestone for the entire hospital. To perform this surgery, we needed an evolution in videolaparoscopy, which we had already been working on with other large and important procedures. But gastrectomy, in particular, is the result of an improvement in equipment, with the arrival of the new tower that allows us to perform more complex surgeries," highlighted the oncological surgeon and head of the oncology service at HRBA, Marcos Fortes.
Surgeries - HRBA offers surgeries in over 20 medical specialties, such as: oncology, orthopedics, neurosurgery, kidney transplants, organ procurement, cardiac surgeries, plastic surgeries, among others. In just the first four months of 2025, it has already performed over 2,000 surgical procedures.
Gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy is now another type of surgery available at the unit, which is a reference in service for a population of 1.4 million people residing in 29 municipalities in the western part of the state.
"We are very proud of the clinical staff here at the unit, with very well-trained, updated, and prepared doctors. We are continually evolving in surgeries and preparing the ground for us to perform robotic surgery here in the near future. Santarém deserves it, and we are paving that way," said the surgeon.
Tribute - Due to the unprecedented nature of the surgery in the region, the doctors from the Regional Hospital of Santarém, Marcos Fortes and Mariana Cardoso, along with residents Hitamar Almeida Jr, Matheus Borges, and Junior Oliveira, received this week a motion of applause promoted by the City Council, authored by councilman Murilo Tolentino.
"We are very happy with the recognition of the work not only of our doctors but of all the professionals at the Regional Hospital. We always strive to advance in surgeries and in the assistance provided as a whole, to offer the best service to our users. This shows that the dedication and effort of everyone at HRBA is bearing fruit and benefiting those who matter most: our patients," celebrated the unit's general director, Matheus Coutinho.
Service - The Regional Hospital of Baixo Amazonas provides 100% referenced service, attending to the demand originating from the State Regulation Center.
The unit belongs to the Government of Pará, being managed by the Social Institute Mais Saúde, in partnership with the State Department of Public Health (Sespa), and is located at Avenida Sérgio Henn, nº 1100, Diamantino neighborhood, in Santarém.
