Spanish Town Hospital Achieves Milestone with First Laparoscopic Colectomy and Hernia Repairs

On March 18, 2025, the Spanish Town Hospital (STH) successfully completed its first laparoscopic right hemicolectomy surgery, marking a significant milestone in the hospital’s surgical capabilities. This ground-breaking procedure was followed by the hospital’s first laparoscopic hernia repairs, performed on April 1, 2025.

Laparoscopic surgery, often referred to as minimally invasive surgery, involves smaller incisions, which result in reduced pain, fewer wound complications such as infections, shorter hospital stays, and a faster return to normal, productive activities for patients.

Dr. André Vaccianna, Consultant General Surgeon, STH stated that “this is an exciting development for the medical team at STH, as our goal is to expand the range of surgical options available to our patients using minimally invasive techniques, and ultimately establishing STH as a centre of excellence for laparoscopic surgery.”

On April 29, 2025, the medical team at STH performed a laparoscopic left hemicolectomy. The STH will continue its efforts to integrate these advanced procedures into routine care. Future cases will be selected based on patient eligibility assessed during clinic visits.

 Dr. Vaciciana further explained that laparoscopic colectomies are most often done for patients with colon cancer and other patients that need hernia repairs usually for those with symptomatic hernias.

These advancements align with the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA)’s commitment to enhancing healthcare delivery by offering state-of-the-art surgical treatments to the public.