Clemente R. Calma, M.D. ✝

1962-1963: NAVIGATING THE EARLY CLOSED-HEART ERA

(Note: PATS operated on a multi-year administrative and scientific cycle during this block).

This two-year period was characterized by a distinct clinical focus on perfecting closed-heart surgical techniques on domestic soil.

• The Closed-Mitral Valvulotomy Push: Because open-heart bypass technology was still extremely scarce and expensive locally, surgeons focused heavily on perfecting the closed-mitral valvulotomy—blindly inserting a finger or a mechanical dilator through the wall of a beating heart to split open a fused mitral valve caused by Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD).
• Expanding the Training Blueprint: During these years, the senior council members mapped out the earliest residency rotations, connecting university centers like the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Hospital to share clinical knowledge.