Napoles to undergo another procedure before surgery

MANILA, Philippines - Businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles is set to undergo an endometrial biopsy before the actual surgery to remove the myoma in her uterus, the head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology department of the Ospital ng Makati told reporters Monday.

Dr. Florentina Villanueva, who is also the team leader for Osmak doctors who will take part in Napoles' surgery alongside the alleged pork scam mastermind's personal doctors,  said
they have been managing Napoles' blood sugar level over the weekend and the green light to proceed with the biopsy has been given by her endocrinologist Monday.

"From the previous bulletin, we already mentioned that we were doing tests to be able to prepare her for a possible procedure. So, from that point on what we have been doing actually was managing her blood sugar, and that has been managed over the weekend. And just today, we were given the clearance by the endocrinologist to go ahead. So the OB team as well as the OsMak team is ready to do the procedure (biopsy) anytime. We are just waiting for the patient to give us her consent," Villanueva said.

The endometrial biopsy, doctors said, would determine the extent of the actual surgery to be done on Napoles to remove the myoma.

"The first procedure is actually the prelude of another procedure or surgery. Because ang findings nung first procedure that we will do, will dictate kung ano yung klase o extent ng procedure na gagawin namin. It will depend on the biopsy. Biopsy will dictate kung ano yung gagawin natin," said Dr. Perry Peralta, Osmak medical director.

"The proposed procedure is endometrial biopsy. That is the actual term, clinical term, basically we need to get tissue coming from her uterus, specifically the endometrium," added  Villanueva.

Villanueva said the biopsy will take around 45 minutes to complete, including the preparation.

"The actual procedure is very very short. It will probably take us between 5 and 15 minutes," she said. Recovery time from the biopsy is about one day, Villanueva added.

Peralta said after Napoles's biopsy, surgery to remove the myoma could follow within three days. The surgery will be scheduled after Napoles gives her consent.

Meanwhile, Peralta said Napoles' treatment at the Osmak is still within the 26-day period set by the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 150.

"We are still on track. The 26 days is a moving target lang 'yan. We're still on track," said Peralta.

Villanueva added that Napoles is showing stable vital signs.

"She has stable vital signs, normal yung blood pressure, normal temperature," Villanueva said.

Peralta said that should Napoles give her consent, the biopsy could be done immediately.

"If the patient will give her consent, we can do it today (Monday). Then the next bulletin will be tomorrow morning (Tuesday)," he said.

Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 Judge Elmo Alameda earlier issued an order authorizing Napoles' own choice of doctors to participate in her treatment.

The court  granted Napoles' motion to undergo surgery and be confined, but not at St. Luke's Medical Center, the hospital of her choice. Instead, the court chose OsMak, a public tertiary hospital within the court's jurisdiction.

Peralta said the Osmak team will be composed of a cardiologist, an endocrinologist, an anesthesiologist, a gynecologist-oncologist and a pathologist.

Peralta added that Napoles will shoulder the fees of her private doctors as her request to have them treat her “will incur additional charges." - Mike Frialde with interns Angelyn Mesa and Kim Nuñez