Rino in need

Rino after his operation on Tuesday.

PHUKET: -- Despite the initial success of last week’s life-saving heart surgery, one week on, 10-year-old Rino Mangon Vogt, who suffers from Ebstein’s anomaly, received two lots of bad news, the Gazette has learned.

The first bad news came when cardiologist Dr Poomiporn Katanyuwong turned off the external pacemaker used to regulate Rino’s heartbeat and boy collapsed into slumber.

“He passed out and started snoring and when we woke him he seemed confused. This means his repaired heart is probably beating too slow,” said Rino’s father, Ritchie Newton.

At this point he was told that Rino needed a second operation to install a permanent tiny pacemaker next to his son’s heart.

This smaller operation took place at 8pm on Tuesday night and was a success, but has led to another problem: how to pay for the device.

“We had enough donations to cover the initial operation and after care but did not expect this added expense of about 6,000 euros (236,000 baht). So far we have had another 2,000 euros in donations but need another 4,000 euros (157,000 baht) to pay the hospital bill,” said Ritchie.

Anyone who wishes to help Rino with donations can do so by visiting the website rinosheart.com

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-12-02

First by best wishes to Rino for a speedy recovery.

It seems a very high price for the operation, especially when the Government is planning to start a campaign pushing low cost medical tourism.

I would love to know what this procedure would cost in the west!

It doesn't appear that with all the publicity the that the hospital or doctor didn't provided any discounts!

I see many farangs here get ripped off by by the hospitals, especially on the costs of medicine and dressings.

For medical Tourism to work, they have to control the over the top prices charged by hospitals and doctors.

It is cheaper to get your treatment/procedure in Bangkok than Phuket or Samui.

Sure doesn't help promote "Medical Tourism"