Just because you expect a laparoscopic procedure, don't assume that is what you will get. Many lap's revert into a full open, which will give you an ugly 20 cm scar, to go with the other 4 or 5 scars that the surgeon gave you whilst trying to do it laparoscopically. Thats when the fun begins, particularly if the hospital can't deal with the complications that might go with this. Also, it is not unknown for inexperienced (or sometimes "experienced") surgeons to snip through the wrong duct, as they can be hard to identify. If they do that, then your life will quite possibly end, or at the very least change for the worse. I strongly suggest you have it done in your own country, if that is possible. Dont listen to advice about stone reducing drugs, yes they do work, but they make the stones small enough to leave the gall bladder and enter the common bile duct, which will then block and I am sure you know the pain associated with this !! If you decide to press ahead with this in Thailand, at least make sure the hospital has a fluroscope, so they can at least try and identify the right duct to snip.

Good luck (I am an Australian Nurse Manager, by the way)

Agree that lap approach needs a surgeon with extensive training and experience in it and not just someone with access to a scope. But I don't thin k you needc to go back home to find that. There are Western-trained surgeons here with extensive experience in the technique, you just have to do some research and choose carefully.

It will not be inexpensive, tho; in addition to the higher cost that always accompanies a laparoscopic approach, surgeons with that level of expertise and qualification are primarily found in the top tier "international"hospitals which are far fvrom inexpensive.

If the priority is to keep costs down while also ensuring oen's health an open approach is a better bet since any competent surgeon and hospital can do that and there would be a wode range of choice and prices. For a lap to be done by som eone who is really skilled at it, it's going to cost you. And as the prior poster pointed out, a lap approach by someone who is not properly trained or well experienced is worse than no lap at all.

If the priority is to keep costs down while also ensuring oen's health an open approach is a better bet since any competent surgeon and hospital can do that and there would be a wode range of choice and prices.

Yeah, why don't you go for the open approach at a good public hospital? Probably only cost you about 25K, as a guess.

If the priority is to keep costs down while also ensuring oen's health an open approach is a better bet since any competent surgeon and hospital can do that and there would be a wode range of choice and prices.

Yeah, why don't you go for the open approach at a good public hospital? Probably only cost you about 25K, as a guess.

It probably would be cheaper but by how much i don't know. It would also be far more traumatic and your recovery time would be longer perhaps resulting in a longer stay in hospital adding to the cost. More time off work etc.

I would pay the extra for what is quite an easy experience and go for the Laparoscopic.

UPDATE:

I had the procedure done a few days ago at BNH hospital in BKK.

Everything went very smoothly, I spent 1 night in the hospital and was home the next day. There was very little pain even the first night. 3 days later I would say i am 95% recovered.

I even have some stones as a souvenir, they are pretty gross so I won't post the picture (unless someone requests that I do! ) one was nearly the size of a quarter!

Thanks to everyones suggestions especially Sheryl advise and help.

One thing I would like to add is that the surgeon told me that the largest stone had been totally blocking the gallbladder duct so that it had not been working (probably for years) and it was chronically inflamed so it was a good thing that I had it taken out when I did.

Yes post the pics please.

Final cost?

Well ....since you asked! Here they are!

Interesting, thanks.

What'd you end up paying when it was all said and done? How many days spent in hospital?

Well ....since you asked! Here they are!

Tuffy

Can't quite make out the denomination on the coin but do hope it's not a U.S. silver dollar!!

Mac

Interesting, thanks.

What'd you end up paying when it was all said and done? How many days spent in hospital?

Only 1 night in the hospital and under 145k Baht including the initial doctor visit and ultrasound.

Congrats on a successful outcome!

Mine is bigger than yours!

Mine is bigger than yours!

Maybe you just have small hands..they will make a lot of things look bigger!!

Mine is bigger than yours!

Maybe you just have small hands..they will make a lot of things look bigger!!

Tuffy, glad it turned out well, I come to this thread after the horse has bolted so to speak, but I would have recommended BNH as I had Laproscopic surgery there in 97 to repair a hiatus hernia and have had no problems since. The Professor that did the surgery was trained in the USA and apparently was well respected world wide, he was in his late sixties then so may have passed on by now.