Algarve Hospitals Revive Dermatological Surgery Services After Four-Year Hiatus

Algarve Hospitals Resume Dermatological Surgery

At the end of February, the Dermatology Service at Hospital Terras do Infante (HTI) in Lagos has reintroduced its own surgical program for patients. This marks a significant comeback after a four-year hiatus in surgical activities for this specialty, which was caused by the termination of contracts with the Dermatology medical team in 2021.

The resumption of these surgeries is part of the current Board of Directors' strategy to decentralize healthcare and provide services closer to users. Alongside Dermatology, Plastic Surgery surgical plans are now offered at HTI, complementing the existing Ophthalmology services. This initiative aims to enhance patient comfort and quality of care while contributing to a more efficient and equitable healthcare system, as noted by ULSAlg.

Conducting dermatological and plastic surgeries weekly at HTI will enable more patients in the Algarve region to access specialist care more quickly and effectively. It also aims at reducing waiting lists and improving post-operative monitoring.

Dermatologist Vera Leitão emphasized the importance of these procedures, stating that the high incidence of skin cancer in the Algarve necessitates timely surgeries for better prognoses. The first surgeries included excisions of both benign and malignant skin tumors, some requiring surgical reconstruction, performed by Dr. Vera Leitão and plastic surgeon Damião Ayres from the Algarve Local Health Unit.