ILOILO City — The Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) in Manduriao district successfully performed the region’s first endoscopic excision of a Juvenile Nasoangiofibroma on a 13-year-old boy – a major medical breakthrough in Western Visayas’ capability to handle complex and high-risk skull base surgeries.
The landmark procedure, conducted by WVMC’s Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, was a major step forward in advanced minimally invasive treatment for rare tumors affecting adolescent patients.
Leading the pioneering operation was Dr. Ria Sophia Perales, a Fellow in Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery, who emphasized the complexity of the case.
“While the condition is common among adolescent males aged 10 to 20 years old – and it also occurs in females – the biggest challenge is that the first procedure performed is endoscopic, which is not commonly done here,” said Perales.
Juvenile Nasoangiofibroma is a rare but aggressive benign tumor commonly found in adolescent males. Despite being non-cancerous, the condition can cause severe nasal obstruction, chronic nosebleeds, headaches, facial swelling, and loss of smell, significantly affecting a patient’s quality of life.
The successful operation highlighted WVMC’s growing expertise in advanced endoscopic and skull base procedures, which traditionally require referral to larger specialty centers outside Western Visayas.
WVMC is the largest government-run tertiary hospital in Western Visayas and serves as the primary referral medical center for Region 6. It has evolved from a small provincial healthcare facility into one of the country’s major regional hospitals under the Department of Health (DOH).
Perales was assisted by her mentor, Dr. Niño Bernardo Timbungco of the Philippine Academy of Rhinology and East Avenue Medical Center, whose expertise in skull base surgery helped guide the procedure.
Training residents Dr. Kayla Gayle Sillo, Dr. Al Ensomo, and Dr. Nicole Dominique Vargas also formed part of the surgical team.
The operation required extensive collaboration among multiple departments at WVMC.
The Neuroscience Department, led by endovascular neurosurgeon Dr. John Gaw Te, conducted preoperative embolization to reduce blood loss during surgery, while Dr. Mike Mondragon provided neurosurgical support crucial to surgical planning.
The Anesthesia Department, composed of Dr. Mercy Margot Yanson, Dr. Ceres Laud, Dr. Therese Lumicday, Dr. Jeniffer Cambas-Trabado, and Dr. Elysha Marie Diestro, ensured stable anesthetic management throughout the delicate procedure.
Pediatric specialists Dr. Joselito Caso and Dr. Marian Lauricio likewise helped tailor the treatment approach to the patient’s age and medical condition.
WVMC also credited its operating room personnel, led by Demelen Gancero and Leslie Gayatgay, for ensuring smooth logistical and surgical support during the operation.
Hospital officials said the achievement underscores WVMC’s commitment to expanding access to cutting-edge medical care in Western Visayas and strengthens its position as one of the region’s leading government medical institutions.
The hospital added that the successful surgery demonstrates how multidisciplinary collaboration and specialized training can bring advanced healthcare services closer to patients in the region, reducing the need for costly treatment referrals outside Western Visayas.
WVMC traces its roots to the early American colonial period when healthcare facilities were being established across the Philippines. It was originally known as the Iloilo Provincial Hospital, serving residents of Iloilo Province and nearby areas.
As Iloilo City emerged as a major commercial and population center in the Visayas, the hospital gradually expanded its services and capabilities to address increasing healthcare demands.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the hospital underwent major expansion and modernization under the national government’s regionalization program for public hospitals.
It was eventually renamed Western Visayas Regional Hospital before later becoming Western Visayas Medical Center, reflecting its broader mandate as the top government referral hospital for the entire Western Visayas region, which includes Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, and Bacolod City
Over the decades, WVMC developed into a major teaching and training hospital. It now houses residency and fellowship training programs in several specialties, including Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Otorhinolaryngology, Orthopedics, Anesthesiology, Radiology, and Neurosciences.
The hospital also serves as a training ground for medical students, nurses, and allied health professionals from universities and colleges in Iloilo and neighboring provinces.
In recent years, WVMC has undergone extensive modernization to improve healthcare delivery in Western Visayas. These include:
* Expansion of intensive care and emergency facilities
* Upgrading of diagnostic and imaging equipment
* Development of specialty centers
* Strengthening of trauma and infectious disease services
* Adoption of advanced minimally invasive surgical techniques
During the COVID-19 pandemic, WVMC played a critical role as one of the region’s main referral hospitals for severe and critical COVID-19 cases./PN
