Hospital Mãe de Deus

Mãe de Deus Hospital is equipped to offer the best solutions in health care, with maximum comfort and convenience for its patients. Our centers and institutes are specialized areas that concentrate differentiated, comprehensive and multidisciplinary health services. Click on the following services to learn more about them.

• Cancer Institute
  

  The Cancer Institute (ICMD) of Mãe de Deus arose from the hospital’s need to provide skilled care to cancer patients. Originally designed as a Department of Oncology, today, it is an Institute that encompasses the Oncology Radiotherapy Center (COR), the Center for Research in Clinical Oncology, a chemotherapy outpatient unit, and an inpatient unit with 24 beds at the Mãe de Deus Hospital, all of which are supported by additional hospital services, a multidisciplinary team and the best cancer treatment infrastructure in southern Brazil.

  
  

  The Cancer Institute of Mãe de Deus was created in 2004 aiming to expand the oncology culture and tradition to other key areas. Radiotherapy, surgical oncology, hematology, blood bank, psychology, nursing, pharmacy for the cancer area, nutrition and physiotherapy are part of the complex structure needed to provide leading-edge service and cover all the needs of both patients and their families.

  
  

  Recent ICMD history shows the addition of a qualified group of cancer surgeons, in 2005, of the Oncology Radiotherapy Center, in 2007, and the acquisition of the only Position Emission Tomography (PET-CT) unit in the State, a device that brings together the diagnostic resources of Nuclear Medicine (PET) and Radiology (CT). The measures implemented by the Institute aim to address the three basic areas in the therapeutic management of cancer and to offer the best treatment and monitoring currently available to treat the disease.

  
  

  Hospital Mãe de Deus gained much international recognition when it produced the Image of 2011, awarded by the American Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

  
  

  
• Institute of Preventive Medicine
  

  Created in 1997, the Mãe de Deus Institute of Preventive Medicine (IMP) has a multidisciplinary team specialized in preventing physical and emotional illnesses in adults and in offering personalized check-ups and other services designed to improve the patient's quality of life.
  
  The assessments are done pursuant to international prevention protocols issued by the United States and Canada (USA and Canadian Task Force on Preventive Medicine). The programs include comprehensive medical, nutritional, physical performance, quality of life and stress assessments.
  
  The early diagnosis of disease or of known risk factors allows physicians to implement, together with the patient, corrective and preventive treatments. The Institue focuses on prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer; the main causes of death in the world population. Many diseases remain asymptomatic until reaching advanced stages. This renders treatment both difficult and expensive.
  
  The IMP is structured and operates based on high-level international standards and has skilled professionals and cutting-edge equipment. The Institute's goal is to prevent/ detect disease early on and to undertake personalized, modern and objective check-ups.
  
  Benefits afforded by the check-ups done at Mãe de Deus Hospital:
  
  Differentiated service;
  Personalized, modern and objective check-up;
  Comfort and practicality of performing tests and consultations all in one place;
  Care by qualified, seasoned staff;
  Use of VIP rooms;
  Ongoing monitoring by a receptionist;
  Breakfast and lunch included in the program;
  Feedback to the attending physician;
  Free parking;
  Facilitation of payments and discounts for groups/ company contracts;
  Wireless Internet available.
  

  
• Institute of Vascular Medicine
  

  Mãe de Deus Health System's Institute of Vascular Medicine (IMV) is a center of excellence in the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of cerebrovascular, heart, aorta and peripheral blood vessel diseases.

  
  

  Created in 2007, the IMV pioneered the prevention and treatment of several forms of vascular diseases in Latin America. To achieve this, it recruited the most experienced and promising professionals and created a strong team of cardiologists, neurologists, surgeons and interventionists who, alongside the diagnostic medicine department, work in an interdisciplinary manner to provide best scenario results with their patients.

  
• Transplant Institute
  

  The Transplant Institute was created on April 4, 2006 to coordinate, organize and facilitate organ transplants* at Mãe de Deus Hospital. Combining the best technology with high-quality care, it can perform liver, pancreas and kidney transplants, and has an experienced multidisciplinary team that has reached the milestone of more than 800 liver transplants since 1991. In the future, the Transplant Institute also intends to create teams capable of transplanting other organs within the institution.

  
  

  Transplant Institute professionals act at all stages, ranging from the assessment of the transplant candidates, patient preparation for surgery, the procedure itself, postoperative follow-up and post-transplant monitoring.

  
  * Transplantes of organs, tissues, cells or parts of the human body, are prohibited in foreigners without permanent residency in Brasil, except in cases of existence of international accords of reciprocity.

  
• Institute of Mental Health
  

  The Institute of Mental Health was created in 2008 to consolidate services that already existed at HMD but worked autonomously, such as the Chemical Addiction Unit (UDQ), the Mood Disorder Unit (UHT) and the Alcohol and Drugs Research Incentive Association (FIPAD). In addition to treatment treatment in addiction and mood disorders (bipolarity and depression), the service offers electroconvulsive therapy and psychiatric emergency service, aswell as a program designed specifically to treat the smoking habit.

  
  

  The specialized, multidisciplinary mental health team is prepared to treat all kinds of disorders and issues. The Chemical Addiction and Mood Disorder Units have 26 beds available for care.

  
• The Headache Center
  

  At the Mãe de Deus Hospital Headache Center, patients can find appropriate treatments and a specialized team dedicated to providing care to people who suffer from acute and/or chronic headaches (cefalgia). The goal is to accurately diagnose the cause of pain and provide treatment solutions for improved quality of life.

  
  

  Headaches rank among the most frequent complaints in doctors' offices and emergency rooms. To many people, the pain is sporadic and the cause is evident. However, some people have frequent severe headaches that cause anxiety, concern and inability to perform daily activities. Sometimes, the headache may be a warning sign of serious medical or neurological issues.

  
  

  Some people think that all headaches are migraines, but this is not true. Almost 300 types of headache have already been described, each with different characteristics and approaches. Self-medication can be harmful, cause complications and make it proper pain management more difficult. A medical evaluation is essential before any treatment plan can be initiated.

  
  

  A number of symptoms can appear together with a headache without the cause actually being in the head. High blood pressure, certain medications and muscle contractions in the spine, neck or above the shoulder (myofascial pain) are examples that require detailed medical examination and specific management. A headache may also be part of generalized painful condition, accompanied by sleep disorders and depressive states.

  
  

  In order for headaches to be treated properly, the patient must undergo both a physical assessment, which examines the muscles of the head and neck, and an emotional evaluation to determine possible factors that may cause the crises.

  
• The Integrated Center of Exercise Medicine
  

  Known as CIME, the Intergrated Center of Excersize Medicine was inaugurated in 1997, based initially on the model used by the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program which has been in operation at Mãe de Deus Hospital for over 30 years.

  
  

  The CIME has since expanded, and now covers various segments of Exercise Medicine:

  
  

  Physical exercise to prevent and treat chronic degenerative diseases, with focus on cardiovascular and metabolic disease;

  
  

  Guidance and control of cardiovascular risk factors (CRF), high blood pressure (HBP), diabetes mellitus (DM), obesity and weight management, smoking, abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels, stress and sedentary lifestyle;

  
  

  Exercise for recuperation and control of musculoskeletal changes.

  
  

  Directed health and assisted stress management;

  
  

  Production and dissemination of scientific knowledge.

  
  

  The work carried out by the CIME is multidisciplinary, offering exercise programs designed specifically for the each client's individual needs as identified in an initial evaluation, performed by medical professionals, physical educators and/ or physiotherapists and nutritionists. The exercises are performed in an air-conditioned, friendly and relaxed atmosphere planned to ensure comfort and safety during sessions.

  
  

  Clinical rounds are regularly held and consist of weekly staff meetings in which each case is analyzed and during which articles are presented and scientific refresher classes offered.

  
  

  The CIME welcomes curricular internship students from the the School of Physical Education of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), of the Methodist University Center (IPA), post-graduate students of Medical and Exercise Science and Sports at the Univeristy of Caxias do Sul, and studente of the Corporate University of Mãe de Deus. CIME also provides training programs for Residents in Sports Medicine (UCS-UCMD) and Cardiology (HMD-SBC).

  
  

  Approximately, 60% of the patients arriving at CIME are referred by their physicians due to some illness or pre-disposition to cardiac and/or chronic degenerative disease, such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis.

  
  

  CIME is a reference in Cardiac Rehabilitation and in the Prevention of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases. Our experience has proved that physical activity together with responsible medical intervention and competent supervision is an ally in disease prevention and rehabilitation. Studies show a significant reduction in cardiovascular risk factors, with a decrease in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality (25 to 30%). An increase in physical activity (20 to 30%) is inversely related to risk and mortality, and is a determining factor in health preservation.

  
• Factors that support CIME'S effectiveness:
  

  Technical expertise integrated to customer service;

  Program standardization based on scientific evidence;

  Respect for the client's individual condition;

  Permanent interaction with an assisting physician.

  
• Cardiology
  

  Cardiology is the medical specialty that focuses on heart diseases and those related the circulatory or cardiovascular system. Mãe de Deus Hospital's Cardiology Service comprises a group of highly-qualified cardiologists trained to identify acute and chronic cardiovascular disorders and to immediately initiate the best plan of treatment for each patient. The service encourages its members to specialize in specific areas of cardiology, such as arrhythmia, heart failure, stroke and high blood pressure, among others.
  Additionally, the service also offers the post-graduate course in Cardiology together with the Corporate University Mãe de Deus in association with the Brazilian Cardiology Society. the Cardiology Service has become an important center for clinical research in virtude of the Mãe de Deus Institute of Vascular Medicine research center.

  
• Hand Surgery
  

  Hand Surgery specialty department treats patients with general peripheral nerve injuries, specializing principally on the upper limb, as well as injuries to tendons and vessels in this region. The Team also provides care for upper limb injuries and fractures.

  The specialty department employs microsurgical techniques to undertake replantation and coverage of substance loss in the case of large nontraumatic wounds involving the upper limb.

  
• General Surgery / Digestive System
  

  Mãe de Deus Hospital's Digestive Surgery Service was created in July 2003. The Digestive Surgery specialty was designed based on a functional and strategic division of General Surgery. Since then, it has covered the care provided in the Emergency Room (ER) and in Emergency Care, in the Outpatient Clinic, and supervises and implements both Clinical Protocols and Guidelines and Research.

  
  

  The principal organs affected by disease and treated by means of digestive surgery are:

  
  

  Gallbladder and bile ducts;

  Abdominal wall hernias;

  Esophagus;

  Stomach;

  Appendix;

  Duodenum;

  Liver;

  Small intestines;

  Large intestines - colon;

  Pancreas.

  
• General Surgery / Bariatric and Metabolic
  

  Mãe de Deus Hospital's Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Service, also known as the obesity surgery, was created in December 2008. Its main goal is to provide the therapeutic management of obesity, both medical and surgical, in its various forms.

  
  

  Obesity is characterized by an excess of body fat. It is among the easiest medical conditions to diagnose, but one of the most difficult to treat. It is estimated that 14% of women and 11% of men are obese in Brazil. Of these, 4% of women and 2% of men have already reached morbid (severe) obesity. It has also been found that 50% of the population aged more than 18 years is overweight. These data are alarming, given that obesity and excess weight favor the emergence of disease such as high blood pressure, heart disease, joint problems and diabetes, among others. In developed countries the obesity ratio is often much higher than that of Brasil, and weight related illness much more prevalent.

  
• Vascular Surgery
  

  Vascular Surgery seeks to treat vascular diseases, including aneurysms and arterial occlusions (stroke and atherosclerosis), venous diseases (varicose veins and venous thrombosis) and lymphatic diseases.

  
  

  The vascular surgery is the only specialty that by nature, uses a holistic approach to patient treatment, usually recommending clinical treatments or minimally invasive procedures.

  
  

  This specialty is indicated for people who experience one or more of the following symtoms: with pain or swelling in the legs, feel tired while walking, have altered peripheral pulses, sores or lesions on the extremities and abnormal vascular imaging tests, such as ultrasound and Doppler.

  
  

  Vascular surgery is also recommended for diabetes, stroke (cerebral ischemia) and ischemic heart disease (heart attack) patients, for patients with difficult-to-control high blood pressure, people with family histories of thrombosis or aneurysm, with vascular hypertension caused by obstructions of the renal arteries, and for those with obstructions of the carotid arteries (vessels that feed the brain). Smokers ferequently seek this specialty as a result of developing blockages in the arteries of the legs due to long-term cigarette use.

  
• Plastic Surgery
  

  The term 'plastic surgery' originates from the Greek word "Plastikos," meaning 'to mold' or 'to shape'. For thousands of years plastic surgery techniques have been in used in India to correct deformities produced by physical mutilation, however, it was not until after the First World War when plastic surgery techniques were used for treating veterans with battlefield wounds, that the practice was truly consolidated.

  
  

  Since then, Plastic Surgery has established itself as an independent specialty. In World War II, plastic surgery appeared as a tool to restore people's mental balance, not only through the repair of functional sequelae, but also of the aesthetics. It was in that period that the so-called cosmetic surgery began, since health is seen as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not just the absence of disease or infirmity.

  
  

  Although plastic surgery is often divided between aesthetic and reconstructive work, it is really an indivisible specialty considering that in even cases that are essentially reparative in nature, there is always a certain desire for improved appearance.

  
• Coloproctology
  

  Coloproctology is the medical specialty that diagnoses and provides medical and surgical treatment for diseases affecting the large intestines (colon), rectum and anus. Among the many diseases of the colon and rectum, the most serious because of its frequency and severity is colorectal cancer, a condition that today can be almost entirely prevented with routine examinations and early detection.

  
  

  Coloproctologists are also active in other diseases, such as Ulcerative Rectal Colitis and Crohn's disease, Diverticular Disease of the Colon, Constipation and Fecal Incontinence. Diseases affecting the anus include the Hemorrhoids, Fissures and Anal Fistulas, all of which are treated effectively by the Mãe de Deus team of specialists.

  
• Dermatology
  

  Dermatology is the medical specialty dedicated to diagnosing and providing medical and surgical treatment for diseases affecting the skin, mucous membranes, and the so-called skin appendages, i.e., the hair and nails. Mãe de Deus' dermatologists are experienced in diagnosing and treating all kinds of ailments and diseases affecting the skin.

  
• Endocrinology
  

  Endocrinology is a broad medical field that deals with all diseases and changes caused by excessive amounts of or a lack of hormones. The endocrinologist is able to treat diseases related to sugar (diabetes mellitus), lipid (cholesterol and triglycerides) and bone (osteoporosis) metabolism, in addition to obesity, a condition that involves multiple factors.

  
• Gastroenterology
  

  Gastroenterology is the medical specialty that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive tract and liver.

  
• Medical Genetics
  

  Medical Genetics is the specialty that provides care to individuals with family diseases (hereditary) such as neurogenetic (degenerative or not) and oncogenetic (related to familial cancer) diseases, congenital malformations, mental retardation, autism, growth disorders and hereditary metabolic diseases (inborn errors of metabolism).

  
  

  Genetic research is based on general clinical examinations (physical), family histories and on laboratory tests. Besides researching hereditary diseases, medical geneticists provide genetic counseling to couples at risk for hereditary diseases and with prior histories of malformations in the family or hereditary cancer.

  
• Geriatrics
  

  Geriatrics is the branch of medicine that focuses on the study, prevention and treatment of disease and disability associated with age. The Geriatrician is a physician with expertise in this field, qualified by residency or holding a specialist degree granted by the Brazilian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology.

  
• Hemodialysis
  

  Hemodialysis is used to treat patients with loss of kidney function and in need of renal function replacement treatment. Such treatment is done using safe, sophisticated equipment designed to eliminate impurities from the blood when the kidneys can no longer do this on their own.

  
  

  Our Unit is modern environments, with multidisciplinary teams to provide care to patients suffering from kidney disease. Our the main goal is to preserve kidney function and to keep the disease from progressing to more advanced stages.

  
• Hematology
  

  Hemotherapy is the medical specialty that treats blood diseases and blood-related organs, providing clinical treatment and support with blood products. Transfusion medicine, or hemotharapy, can be divided into two main areas: collection, which includes processing, classifying and storing blood products; and blood components and product transfusion.

  
  

  The hemotherapist has knowledge about the biology, indications and limitations of various blood products. He or she actively participates in referring procedures, in discussing clinical cases with physicians acting in other specialties, and in providing care in cases involving transfusion complications. They provide advice to blood donors with positive tests, assist in the implementation and/or supervision of special procedures, help care for congenital and acquired coagulopathies, and support organ and bone marrow transplant procedures.

  
• Mastology
  

  Mastology is the medical specialty that studies the mammary glands. The mastologist is the expert who prevents, diagnoses and treats diseases of the breast.

  
• Sports Medicine
  

  Exercise and sports medicine, or simply sports medicine, is the medical specialty that studies the influence of exercise, training and sports on healthy or ill people and aims to prevent and treat conditions and to rehabilitate patients.

  
  

  It evaluates and monitors those who practice physical and sporting activities before, during and after they practice them. The specialty is also dedicated to people who are not athletes, but who exercise to improve their health.

  
• Intensive Medicine
  

  Today, Intensive Medicine is a medical specialty that is regulated by the Federal Council of Medicine and is divided into intensive care physicians (who care for adults, children and infants) and to those who provide life support or care for systems and organs of patients who are in a critical state (who usually require intensive care and monitoring).

  
  

  Intensivists work in the so-called Intensive Care Units (ICU), which bring together, in the same physical space, medical and nursing professionals and monitoring technologies aiming to offer more acute, intensive care, keeping track of the patient's vital signs and clinical evolution more attentively. This allows them to quickly detect changes and initiate the appropriate treatments.

  
  

  The services provided by intensivist physicians include:

  
  

  Full assistance to patients who need to be hospitalized in the ICU;

  Care for cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction and sepsis (general infection);

  Postoperative care in the event of major surgeries;

  Care for severely burned patients;

  Care for transplant patients;

  Treatment of respiratory failure.

  
• Preventive Medicine
  

  The Mãe de Deus Hospital has an area that focuses specifically on this specialty, the Mãe de Deus Institute of Preventive Medicine (IMP). Created in 1997, it has a multidisciplinary team specialized in the prevention of physical and emotional illnesses of adults, offering personalized check-ups and other services aimed to improve the patient's quality of life.

  
• Nephrology
  

  Nephrology is the area of medicine that studies and researches how the kidneys work and the diseases that affect them. Physicians specializing in nephrology are known as nephrologists. Caring for one's kidneys is very important because the illnesses that affect them can cause a number of issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease, anemia, swelling, and changes to the bones and nerves.

  
  

  The kidneys are the main organs responsible for removing toxins and substances that are no longer important to the body. They are also essential to keep body fluids and minerals at appropriate levels, to produce certain hormones, and they play a role in blood pressure control.

  
• Neurosurgery
  

  The scope of neurosurgery includes diseases that affect the brain and skull, the spinal marrow and the spinal cord, peripheral nerves and the complications arising from cerebral aneurysms and angiomas.

  
• Neurology
  

  Neurology is the medical specialty that provides care to patients suffering from nervous system-related diseases, such as those affecting the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves.

  
  

  The Mãe de Deus Hospital Neurology Service has a team of highly trained neurologists who can immediately diagnose the major neurological disorders and quickly implement the appropriate treatment for each patient.

  
  

  The team is the most experienced in South America in the treatment of acute stroke, acting with speed and efficiency, as shown by the quality of care indicators.

  
  

  Besides excellent technical medical skills, the team has at its disposal all the technology of state-of-the-art exams to assist with more complex diagnoses. The team performs in all subfields of neurology and has expertise in strokes, serving as a training center for professionals all over Brazil and Latin America. The Neurological team at the Mãe de Deus Hospital has a tradition of clinical research with new drugs in the neurological area, especially Alzheimer's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Headaches, and in the Prevention and Treatment of Acute Strokes.

  
• Nutrology
  

  Nutrology is the medical specialty dedicated to diagnosing, preventing and treating diseases related to eating habits and that may make use of nutrients.

  
  

  It works in conjunction with most medical specialties, since eating properly is the best way be and remain healthy.

  
  

  Professionals working in this area can sub-specialize in different areas, such as sports, obesity, pregnancy, eating disorders and congenital or acquired metabolism diseases.

  
• Ophthalmology
  

  This is the specialty that deals with the eyeball, the optic nerve and pathway, the ocular adnexa and orbit, the main field of which is vision. It focuses on studying and treating eye diseases and refractive errors that may cause changes in vision.

  
  

  A medical evaluation performed by an ophthalmologist may prevent irreversible causes of blindness, such as glaucoma (damage to the optic nerve caused by increased intraocular pressure) and diabetic retinopathy, among many others. The ophthalmologist performs surgeries, prescribes treatments and corrects vision disorders.

  
  

  Ophthalmology, as do several other medical specialties, has several sub-specialties, among which:

  
  

  Retina;

  Glaucoma;

  Cataract;

  Cornea;

  Refractive surgery and contact lenses;

  Strabismus and pediatric ophthalmology;

  Oculoplastic and orbit;

  Neurophthalmology;

  Ocular oncology and pathology;

  Uveitis (inflammation of the uvea).

  
• Limb Lengthening
  

  For years, our orthopedic limb lengthening specialist has been receiving people from around the world to receive this procedure. Patient motives vary from correction of bone deformities through to self-esteem issues in in men and women of small stature.

  
  

  The technique of lengthening consists of the placement of an external fixator on the bone to be lengthened, fixed via wires or pins that connect the bone to the fixator.

  
  

  During this process the patient is typically admitted as an in-patient for a period of 2-3 days, and after 7-10 days, the process of lengthening is initiated. This is done by the patient him\herself, with medical orientation. Lengthening occurs at an average rate of 0,25mm every six hours.

  
  

  Following the phase of lengthening, the fixator must remain in place until the bone regenerates to the point of calcification. This period may take longer than the actual lengthening itself. At this point, medical consults occur once a month, as does x-ray analysis.

  
  

  For a standard lengthening of 6cm, the average stay is 70 days.

  
• Otorhinolaryngology
  

  Otolaryngology is the medical specialty that diagnoses and treats diseases that affect the ears, nose and sinuses, mouth, pharynx and larynx, as well as changes in the salivary glands and neck.

  
• Pathology
  

  In medical practice, pathology is the specialty dedicated to diagnosing disease and injuries through the direct examination of cells, tissues and organs. Thus, pathologists and cytologists are physicians who work as consultants to clinicians and surgeons, providing diagnosis and other information relevant to the choice of treatment and the assessment of prognoses.

  
• Psychiatry
  

  Psychiatry is the medical specialty that deals with the prevention, care, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of various forms of mental disorders, whether organic or functional in nature, with severe psychological manifestations.

  
  

  Mãe de Deus Hospital's psychiatry specialty counts on the Institute of Mental Health, which includes the Chemical Dependency Unit (UDQ), the Mood Disorders Unit (UTH), and the Center for Treatment with Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), as well as out-patient emergency services.

  
  

  Created in 1984, the Chemical Dependency Unit was a pioneer in Brazil, and quickly became a center of excellence in the treatment of people with chemical dependencies, recognized by the National Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD).

  
  

  In 2003, the Hospital created the Mood Disorders Unit, expanding coverage offered in psychiatry to include the two most prevalent diseases in the population.

  
  

  The creation of a Center for Treatment with Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and of a team to provide care for emergencies and advice within the Hospital were the natural outcome of the needs of services designed to increase its coverage.

  
  

  The Mãe de Deus' Mental Health Units routinely receive foreign patients, principally those who seek treatment with privacy and complete anonymity.