The University of Costa Rica is building an innovative lab for minimally invasive surgery and cancer diagnosis.

The laboratory will be dedicated to the training on minimally invasive surgery techniques, and will also offer Costa Ricans the opportunities to get tested for the early diagnose of different types of cancer, the ones of biggest incidence in the country such as breast cancer, prostate, colon, thyroids, gastric and uterine cervix cancer.

Minimally invasive surgeries are performed through very small incisions instead of large openings, a technique that generally allow patients to have quicker recovery times and less discomfort than with conventional surgery.

This new building will enforce the education and training of medical specialists and will also promote investigations in the fields of cancer and surgery. It will also help expand the work of the Training and Investigation Lab in Minimally Invasive Surgery (Leicimi) which has been in operation for five years.

The lab has modern equipment, and controlled spaces, state-of-the -art technology that will facilitate the accurate diagnosis and analysis of biopsies. It also has an auditorium that will be used for conferences and the video transmission of surgeries and procedures whether they are carried out in the national of international territory with the purpose of promoting the exchange of knowledge and innovate in national medicine, this will be of great assistance both to residents as well as attending and specialists.

According to Dr. Marco Antonio Zúñiga, coordinator of Leicimi, the lab will receive patients from the University as well as those referred from different health centers.

This project will be ready by the end of September this year.