Napoles undergoes operation removing entire uterus and both ovaries

(Updated 1:37 p.m.) Alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles has undergone a procedure to remove her entire uterus and both ovaries at Ospital ng Makati, her attending doctors said Wednesday. 

Dr. Efren Domingo, obstetrician-gynecologist from St. Luke's Medical Center, said the operation was conducted from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Wednesday after Napoles' blood sugar stabilized.

"We performed a total hysterectomy and a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. We removed the entire uterus and both ovaries. Her disease is called severe adenomyosis of the uterus with multiple adenomyomata," he said during a press conference.

With Domingo during the press conference were Dr. Elsie Badillo-Pascua, also of St. Luke's and Dr. Florentina Villanueva, Ospital ng Makati head of the department of obstetrics and gynecology, and five other doctors.

"Ang matris ay nagkaroon ng bukol at merong kasamang myomas, multiple, ibig sabihin madami. 'Yung dugo sa loob ng bahay bata na pumasok sa myometrium at sumanib sa maliliit na bukol. She developed this over several months to almost years such that it became fast and led to profuse hemorrhage and pain over the past six months. It became life-threatening recently," Domingo added, referring to the profuse bleeding and anemia Napoles experienced.

Napoles is now at the recovery room and is expected to stay there from six to 12 hours, Domingo said.

‘Napoles awake, coherent’

Domingo said Napoles is awake, coherent and has stable vital signs.

The surgery was conducted based on the result of the biopsy on Napoles on April 8 which showed that she has endometrial hyperplasia or a lesion that is not yet cancerous but also cannot be considered as benign.

"It is not cancerous but neither benign, it is in transition from benign to malignant. If not treated, while not life-threatening now, it is expected to be so in the next weeks or months," Domingo said.

The specimen taken out from Napoles was shown to her husband, Jimmy. Doctors deemed it not correct to make it public due to personal and legal reasons and hospital rules.

Asked how long Napoles would stay in the hospital after the surgery and when can she be discharged and returned to her detention cell in Fort Sto. Domingo, Laguna, Domingo said he cannot say yet.

"The recovery is going to be standard. We should rather wait day by day based on the outcome as we see her on follow-up. We have to consider that we have a different patient and as far as the medical aspect, we deal with her in the same exact way that we deal with all other patients. As far as the non-medical, the legal, the hospital, as well as the personal aspect, we leave it to them (authorities)," he said.

On Napoles' stay at the recovery room, Domingo said they will observe her vital signs first before allowing her to go to her room.

"We wanted to make sure that she regains full functions in all her vital organs," he said.

He said the most difficult part in the recovery of Napoles is her diabetes. The doctors are also monitoring possible complications from the surgery such as bleeding and infection.

He added that they are now drafting the report to be submitted to the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 in compliance with the order of Judge Elmo Alameda. 

"It is going to be submitted today, it was mentioned in the ruling that we have to submit it within 24 hours and we [will] comply with that as always," said Domingo.

He said the medical bulletin about Napoles after the surgery will now come from Ospital ng Makati.

Napoles has been confined at Ospital ng Makati since March 31 after the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 granted her appeal to be confined in a hospital and undergo surgery. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News