New procedure at UMC helps patient with cancerous tumor in stomach

University Medical Center is making more services available for patients in the El Paso area.

It successfully completed a surgery on a man who had been diagnosed with cancer in his stomach, and a tumor was keeping him from digesting food properly.

Dr. Antonio Mendoza Ladd, director of endoscopy at UMC, said the obstruction in his stomach was preventing him from eating normally.

The patient was able to undergo a medical procedure never before done in El Paso, according to Ladd.

“This one involves three different technologies: ultrasound, radiology and endoscopy,” Ladd said.

Ladd said he was able to create another passageway so his patient can properly digest food.

“We are basically bypassing the tumor and we are placing the connection in a healthy tissue which means there is no tumor growing there,” Ladd said.

Previously, patients would have to undergo surgery.

“What it means for El Paso is that we are doing cutting edge procedures here in the city. We want the people to know that we have all the necessary equipment,” Ladd said.