Medical premiere: 78-year-old woman's life saved by Whipple surgery in Moldova

A team of surgeons of the Republican Clinical Hospital (SCR) Timofei Mosneaga, led by Prof. Adrian Hotineanu, head of the Department of Surgery No. 2, has performed the first total laparoscopic duodeno-pancreatectomy in Moldova — a surgical procedure of exceptional complexity, also known as the Whipple surgery.

The intervention was performed on Elena Mîndrescu, a 78-year-old patient diagnosed with a tumor located at the head of the pancreas. The case required a complete laparoscopic approach, as until now, such interventions have been performed either openly or video-assisted.

„The surgery lasted nine hours and involved the complete reconstruction of the digestive tract. It is a highly complex procedure, which includes the removal of several organs and their reconnection through complex anastomoses – all done exclusively laparoscopically,” explained Prof. Hotineanu.

This achievement was possible due to the SCR's state-of-the-art medical equipment and the continuous training of the surgical team in centers of excellence in Western Europe.

„I sincerely thank the physicians. They saved my life, and I can continue to live my old age and be a grandmother to my grandson,” said the emotional patient Elena Mîndrescu, born in Calarasi.

In recent years, SCR's surgical departments have undergone spectacular development, with advanced interventions for tumors of the colon, liver, spleen, and stomach — all performed using minimally invasive ways.

This successful intervention marks a historic moment for the Moldovan surgery and reconfirms the high standards of medical excellence achieved by the Republican Clinical Hospital Timofei Mosneaga.