March 4, 2026 – Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga — The Medical City Clark (TMC Clark) successfully performed a Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (MICS-CABG) procedure on February 19, making it the only hospital in Pampanga currently offering this advanced heart bypass technique. Second Minimally Invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (MICS-CABG) performed at The Medical City Clark on February 19, 2026.
MICS-CABG is an alternative to traditional open-heart bypass surgery. Instead of opening the chest through a full sternotomy, surgeons operate through a small incision between the ribs to bypass blocked coronary arteries.
This minimizes trauma to the body and allows patients to experience reduced pain, lower risk of complications, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery compared to conventional surgery.
To date, only two MICS-CABG procedures have been performed in the province, both at TMC Clark, expanding access to complex cardiac interventions in Central Luzon.
The 78-year old patient was discharged 8 days after the procedure and is now recovering well at home. During follow-up with his/her attending physician, Dr. Edgar Timbol, there were no complications noted, and the patient is expected to go back to his/her daily routine.
The procedure was carried out by a multidisciplinary team of experts, led by Thoracic, Cardiac, and Vascular surgeon Dr. Christian Neil Villamucho, together with Dr. Ramiro Pablo, Dr. Christopher Ocampo, and Dr. Marvin Martinez. Supporting the team were Dr. Edgar Timbol, Dr. Cita Rose Alfonso, anesthesiologists Dr. Romy Alvarez and Dr. Ron Dizon, echocardiographer Dr. Jose Donato Magno, perfusionists Ralph Lawrence Batanes and Geo Carlo Arellano, operating room nurses Jean Rose Silva, Andrea Peña, Christia Alyssa Julaila, and Mark Joseph Gonzales, post-operative intensivist Dr. Marian Sodusta, and recovery room nurses Fatima Bustria and Eureka Frances Escoto.
This latest success adds to TMC Clark’s first successful MICS-CABG case performed three years ago under the leadership of cardiac surgeon Dr. Roberto Cristobal, further strengthening the institution’s growing expertise in complex cardiac interventions.
As TMC Clark continues to strengthen its role as a referral center in Central Luzon, the availability of minimally invasive bypass surgery allows more patients in Pampanga and nearby provinces to access specialized cardiac care closer to home.
For more information on The Medical City Clark and its services, visit www.themedicalcityclark.com.
