Africa-Press – Angola. The Military Hospital (HMP) is carrying out the second phase of its thyroid surgery program (a gland in the throat), an initiative aimed at improving the quality of life of patients treated by the institution.
Engrácia Van-Dúnem, head of the hospital’s nephrology department, said the patients benefiting from the program have “secondary hyperparathyroidism,” a common complication in patients with prolonged chronic kidney failure.
She clarified that the most common symptoms include bone and muscle pain, generalized weakness, difficulty moving, bone deformities, and, in more severe cases, spontaneous fractures.
Engrácia Van-Dunem added that of the 60 planned surgeries, 24 have already been performed since the start of the second phase on October13 and that the hospital’s program covers not only military patients but also users of public hemodialysis centers.
The specialist reported that the surgeries are being performed by experienced surgeons and involve an incision in the patient’s neck to locate and remove the hypertrophied (enlarged) parathyroid glands. She emphasized that they last, on average, one to two hours, depending on the complexity of each case.
“The postoperative period is crucial because after the glands are removed, calcium levels drop sharply, which can lead to hypocalcemia. This phase requires close monitoring, but patients are generally discharged within three to five days and recover well,” the doctor said.
Van-Dunem noted that the program also aims to train HMP healthcare professionals, as it relies on collaboration with Portuguese physicians, who work weekly in teams of two to three professionals.
She said that it involves approximately 11 nephrologists, including residents and specialists, as well as diagnostic technicians, nurses, and professionals from other medical fields.
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