Napoles’ health condition not life-threatening – PNP doctor

MANILA — A police doctor yesterday told a local court in Makati City that businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles has a 6 centimeter uterine myoma which has caused her uterus to swell to the size of a woman about 3 and a half months pregnant.

However, PNP General Hospital gynecology section head Inspector Michelle Daguno told the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 that they have doctors who can perform the surgery to remove the myoma.

Daguno was testifying during the Makati court’s hearing on Napoles’ petition to be allowed to undergo surgery and confinement at the St. Luke’s Medical Center at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig for the lump found in her uterus.

The police doctor, meanwhile, informed the court that Napoles’ condition is not life- threatening and that there is no urgency for her to undergo surgery.

“Based on the size, it is not dangerous and lifethreatening. Myoma uterine can go away. When you go into menopause, it will not grow bigger,” said Daguno, who had also examined Napoles at the PNP General Hospital.

A uterine myoma (also called fibroid, leiomyoma, leiomyomata, and fibromyoma) is a benign (noncancerous) tumor that grows within the muscle tissue of the uterus. There can either be one dominant myoma in the uterus, or a cluster of many small myomas. Uterine myoma range in size from larger than a melon to as small as a coin.

According to www. myoma. co. uk, 20 percent to 50 percent of women of childbearing age have uterine myoma. While many women do not experience any problems, symptoms can be severe enough to require treatment. For example, a very large myoma may cause the uterus to stretch to the size of a six or seven-month pregnancy.

Daguno, when asked by presiding judge Elmo Alameda, said the PNP General Hospital has 40 doctors, five of whom are obstetrician-gynecologists (OB-GYN) that could perform surgery on Napoles to remove the myoma from Napoles’ uterus.

However, Daguno said that unless ordered so by the court, PNP doctors could not operate on Napoles if she refuses.

Daguno said that while Napoles is considered a detainee, she retains the right to choose her own doctors.

“She must consent to the operation,” said Daguno.

Daguno added that the removal of a uterine myoma is an elective procedure and that it could be scheduled. Not bleeding profusely

Daguno also told the court that Napoles was not bleeding when she was examined at the PNP General Hospital last February 26, contrary to the businesswoman’s claim that she has been experiencing profuse vaginal bleeding for 39 days straight, so much that she had to use three to five diapers per day.

When asked by Judge Alameda, Daguno, who has 16 years of experience as an OB- GYN, said she could perform the surgery on Napoles at the PNP General Hospital.

The court has set the continuation of the hearing of Napoles’ petition for surgery and confinement at the St. Luke’s Medical Center- Global City on March 18 at 9: 30 am.