In Laos, a small Southeast Asian country bordered by China, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand, medical resources are extremely scarce. It is hard to imagine that all surgeries were open until 2020—not a single surgeon had been trained to perform video-assisted surgery. Patients in Laos had to travel to Thailand for basic image diagnosis for their surgeries. In January 2020, the first Laos uniportal master class directed by Dr. Diego Gonzalez Rivas introduced the latest and most professional technique in thoracic surgery. Dr. Diego led a team to perform the first uniportal VATS at the Lao People’s 103 Army Hospital—the first thoracoscopic case in Laos’ history.

With only the basic OR facilities, Dr. Diego skillfully demonstrated to all the surgeons in the OR his well-acclaimed uniportal approach with a single incision. This master class was open to surgeons of all levels, from experienced doctors to medical students.

A new door is open for the young generation of surgeons, pursuing new surgical technologies with great enthusiasm. The pioneering strength of Dr. Diego has inspired numerous aspiring doctors for decades to come. The successful completion of the first uniportal VATS in Laos has undoubtedly become a milestone in the history of minimally invasive surgery for the country.

The pandemic has largely impacted the world, especially in poor cities under siege such as Gaza. Nobody can go in, nobody can go out.

After overcoming an unexpected visa issue and successfully passing three checkpoints (including Hamas militants), Dr. Diego finally managed to enter the Gaza Strip. 10 cases were prepared for Dr. Diego’s visit to Gaza, with five of the patients testing positive for COVID-19 just one day before the surgery. What’s more irritating is that the electricity is turned off during operations. After the operation, one of the patients woke up and said, “Thank God, I can breathe now.” Maybe this is the meaning behind Dr. Diego’s trip to Gaza despite so many difficulties.

“I’d like to help people, I’d like to teach what I know, to share knowledge, to go to new places and meet people from every culture, to learn from them, to explore the world—especially doing surgery and helping patients in places where they need it most. It is what makes me feel happier. Thanks to our visit, we can improve the patient’s quality of life.”

In Laos, a small Southeast Asian country bordered by China, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand, medical resources are extremely scarce. It is hard to imagine that all surgeries were open until 2020—not a single surgeon had been trained to perform video-assisted surgery. Patients in Laos had to travel to Thailand for basic image diagnosis for their surgeries. In January 2020, the first Laos uniportal master class directed by Dr. Diego Gonzalez Rivas introduced the latest and most professional technique in thoracic surgery. Dr. Diego led a team to perform the first uniportal VATS at the Lao People’s 103 Army Hospital—the first thoracoscopic case in Laos’ history.

With only the basic OR facilities, Dr. Diego skillfully demonstrated to all the surgeons in the OR his well-acclaimed uniportal approach with a single incision. This master class was open to surgeons of all levels, from experienced doctors to medical students.

A new door is open for the young generation of surgeons, pursuing new surgical technologies with great enthusiasm. The pioneering strength of Dr. Diego has inspired numerous aspiring doctors for decades to come. The successful completion of the first uniportal VATS in Laos has undoubtedly become a milestone in the history of minimally invasive surgery for the country.