When an operation is needed, you want a surgical expert by your side every step of the way. At Curaçao Medical Center, our team of general surgeons offers personalized care and advanced techniques to meet your specific needs. These surgery experts are trained in a wide range of general surgical procedures and minimally invasive techniques. Our surgery team also includes specially trained nurses and anesthesiologists who place your safety and successful recovery first, whether your procedure takes place on an outpatient basis or requires a hospital stay. From the moment you arrive until you return to doing the things you love with the people you love, we are your partner in health.
Surgical patients are admitted to a nursing ward or day care treatment. From here the patient is taken to the Operating Room followed by the recovery room. Once recovered, the patient is escorted back to the nursing ward.
Surgery Programs & Services
- Access surgery for dialysis
- Bariatric surgery
- Breast surgery
- Colorectal surgery
- Complete Gastroentestinal
- Pancreatic surgery
- Pediatric surgery
- Proctology.
- Thoracic and mediastinal surgery
- Trauma surgery
- Esophageal surgery.
- Head and neck surgery
- Laparoscopic and open abdominal wall surgery
- Laparoscopic bile duct surgery.
- Liver surgery (metastasisctomy).
- Vascular surgery: peripheral endoscopic and reconstructive
- Wound clinic with integral wound care (ostomy, burns) with full team (Orthopedic / vascular surgeon / Podiatrist / Diabetic nurse/
Hyperbaric Specialist).
Specialists Surgery
Michel Berry - Surgeon
Michel Berry,M.D., is an all around general surgeon who specializes in surgical Oncology, which includes breast-cancer, head &neck , thoracic (lung, oesophagus), and Colorectal surgery.
Dr.Berry also has extensive training in bariatric surgery of the Obese and management of malnutrition of the obese. Dr.Berry is also the director of the ATLS educational program of Curaçao and over the years has trained numerous doctors in advanced trauma care.
He is a member of several professional societies, including the American College of Surgeons, the Dutch College of Surgeons and the International Society of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgeons. He is also the Chair/Director of the ATLS program in Curacao. Chair Association of Hospital Employed Medical Professionals Curacao.
Silke Flahou - Surgeon
Silke Flahou is a general surgeon who had an extra year of training in abdominal surgery. Her interest lies in the elective and emergency treatment of bowel diseases (oncologic and non-oncologic conditions of the stomach, small and large intestine), bariatrics, gallbladder disease, groin and incisional hernia repair and other general surgical conditions such as the diabetic foot.
Still having a big part of her career lying ahead of her, she keeps on gaining experience in various other surgical disciplines. In the past, she often participated in scientific research. She presented at several international symposiums and has published in different medical journals.
She is a member of a European team of surgeons working for Doctors Without Borders. She is committed to giving priority to the wellbeing of her patients, through clear communication and providing the best possible treatment.
Jeannouel van Leeuwen - Surgeon
Dr Jeannouel van Leeuwen has been trained in chest surgery in his first year in Leiden, and the rest of his training in the biggest hospital of Belgium in Gasthuisberg Leuven, is a senior general surgeon with a vast amount of experience, versatile and adept in many fields, since 1993.
In the beginning of his career he mainly did vascular and chest surgery, but in the last 10 years he became very dedicated and appreciated for oncology surgery, specially breastcancer and gastro-intestinal and colo-rectal cancer.
During the years he gained vast experience in soft tissue trauma and wound care. As a senior staff member of the General Surgery Department he is an educator and teacher of residents from the Netherlands and Belgium ( Gent, Antwerpen and Brussel).
He is a member of the CMC Tumour Board. At the moment one of his tasks is to leave behind after his retirement in 2025 a legacy and hand down a well organized surgical department with young highly skilled general surgeons with specific differentiation to serve the community of Curaçao en Caribbean region.
Drs. Misset, M (Menno)
Surgeon
David Nellensteijn - Surgeon
He completed his surgical training at the University Medical Centre Groningen in 2011. Subsequently he started working in the Sehos Hospital. He successfully defended his PhD thesis on pediatric abdominal trauma in 2015 and has been a fellow of the American College of Surgeons for several years (FACS).
Dr. Nellestein’s fields of expertise are (orthopedic) trauma, pediatric surgery but also general surgical cases like laparoscopic gallbladder surgery and all abdominal wall/hernia surgery. Next to being a surgeon he is also a guide for interns and educator for the surgical trainees of three Belgian Academic Hospitals of Gent, Antwerp and Brussels.
Dr. Nellestein is also a service line chief of the acute care facilities of the Curaçao Medical Center, including the emergency department, Acute admission ward and the plaster room. He joins a group of local emergency Physicians as Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) instructors for the Curaçao ATLS course twice a year.
Drs. Rodriguez Vitoria, J.M. (Juan)
Surgeon
Nicole Boye - Surgeon
Dr. Boyé MD PhD completed her education in general surgery with differentiation oncological and lung surgery at Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden & Haga hospital, In addition to general surgery, her areas of interest are laparoscopic colorectal surgery, minimally invasive lung surgery and the surgical treatment of liver metastases. After years in the Netherlands she is happy to return to her native island and to work here.