Open Gallbladder Surgery To Do- Where In Bangkok? Need Help.

[Mentors]

I have to remove my gall bladder very soon and i need urgent advice.

It will be for rather shure a "open surgery" than a Laparoscopic one.

In my province Surat Thani where i live there is no option to me, i checked this already out

Which hospital in Bangkok is to recommending?

I have (maybe) to pay the costs by myself.

So i don't look for the most expensive one.

Any advice whoch one, and costs?

Thank you in advance

(and soory for my poor English)

[Thanyaburi Mac]

I had my gall bladder out via laparoscopic surgery three years ago, painless, very quick recovery, much better than the two hernia ops I had via open surgery many years ago.

In any case, check out the Saint Louis Hospital in Bangkok on Sathorn Road, it comes highly recommended on both quality and cost:

http://www.saintlouis.or.th/main_page.php

Mac

[Sheryl]

For your requirements i would agree with St Louis is you want to come to Bangkok.

[TommoPhysicist]

How much will it cost?

(Just asking as I have just been in hospital for a severe attack)

Edited July 25, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[Sheryl]

I don't know, suggest yo uemail the hospital and ask.

[zzdocxx]

It will be for rather shure a "open surgery" than a Laparoscopic one.

Why do you say that?

[Mentors]

a doctor said so, because many years ago i had a surgery already (burst appendix).

[TommoPhysicist]

I don't know, suggest yo uemail the hospital and ask.

I was after other peoples costs from various hospitals, rather a quote from a particular establishment.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Here's my cost, not cheap, but pleased with the result, and especially the QUICK recovery:

Vibhavadi Hospital: http://www.vibhavadi.com/english/index.php

26 June 2007 Vibhavadi Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gall bladder)

b109,550 $3,341.49

Mac

[jrtmedic]

Cholecystectomy (The surgical removal of the Gall Bladder) is, nowadays rarely undertake by open surgery which involves a large incision and an extended hospital stay. The fact that you had a "burst appendix" is NOT an absolute contraindication to laparoscopic surgery.

Patient consent for laparoscopic abdominal surgery should include detail of all common associated "risks" (ensure the "risks are explained to you) which should include the remote possibility of having to convert/resort to open surgery.

You should do your research, choose a surgeon and follow her/his advise.

Edited July 27, 2012 by lopburi3
correct font

[Sheryl]

Laparscopic approach, while easier on the patient, does cost more.

In Thailand where reducing length of hospital stay has proportionately less effect on total cost than it does in the west, the difference in price between open vs. laparascope will be greater. In the west where just being in the hospital an extra night or two significnatly adds to cost, the reduced length of hospitalization goes further towards offsetting the increased cost of a laparoscopic approach (may even fully offset it in soem cases) Perhaps for this reason laparoscopic approach is not as universal here as it is in the west and many general surgeons are not able to do it, so the pool of possible surgeons/hospitals is less if looking for a laparoscopic procedure. Whereas any competent general surgeon can do an open choley.

[Mentors]

_{To all thank you so far for the helpful informations.}

_{My Insurance told me to go to Phyathai 2 hospital.}

_{Any experience with this.}

_{(btw. the Insurance told me to go there, BUT my English Insurance is very slowly to answer questions}

_{and in my opinion not really dependable. (don't ask deatails yet)}

_{So maybe i will pay the cost by myself 'cause i can not wait much longer to undergo the surgery.)}

[Thanyaburi Mac]

That's my normal way of doing "business" with my med insurance, I pay upfront and claim back from them. Usually reimbursed about 80%-90% within 30 days.

Glad to hear that you do have insurance!

Mac

[lopburi3]

Phyathai 2 hospital is one of about a dozen listed for US FEP Blue Cross direct payment so they do work with overseas insurance. Believe there fee will be reasonable. They are highly regarded by most Thai but not as commercial/flashy as some of the other top tier hospitals. But there website is not very informative so hard to judge doctors or equipment.

[Sheryl]

Phyathai 2 is fine as a hospital and for a simple procedure like this, almost all general surgeons would be OK.

The have an international liaison department you can contact by email, you could try asking them to advise doctor qualifications and particularly whether any of their surgeons (1) are trained in laparoscopic apprach and (20 trained abroad. email is [email protected]

BTW I had hand surgery there myself.

[SOTIRIOS]

CTRL + Q to Enable/Disable GoPhoto.it

.do you ask a second opinion before losing a 'vital organ'....???

(Example: If it is 'gall stones', there is a simple olive oil/lemon juice fast that passes them with a 99% success rate...)

Losing any organ always leads to complications down the line......

Good luck

[Estrada]

Chulalungkorn University Hospital Rama IV Road. Same Surgeons as Bumrungrad (because they have to operate at Chula as a condition of their Government sponsorship to Study Medicine in the United States. Accomodation is in the normal wards. I had a hernia operation in 1995 which only cost B20,000 against Bumrungrad's B56,000 plus the cost of the room.

[zzdocxx]

Cholecystectomy (The surgical removal of the Gall Bladder) is, nowadays rarely undertake by open surgery which involves a large incision and an extended hospital stay. The fact that you had a "burst appendix" is NOT an absolute contraindication to laparoscopic surgery.

Patient consent for laparoscopic abdominal surgery should include detail of all common associated "risks" (ensure the "risks are explained to you) which should include the remote possibility of having to convert/resort to open surgery.

You should do your research, choose a surgeon and follow her/his advise.

I agree with this for the most part, that is provided you can find a qualified surgeon who is competent. This may be evidenced by how many of these procedures he has done.

The other thing is, about an open procedure and the cost of the hospital stay. Another factor may be how much pain you will have afterwards, which could be quite significantly greater with the open procedure. Whether the cost difference, whatever it turns out to be, is worth it is up to you.

But also with a laparoscopic procedure you will be up and moving much more quickly, which may reduce the likelihood of complications such as blood clots, pneumonia, and so forth.

Good luck, whatever you decide!

Please let us know how it works out.

[lopburi3]

Yes Chula has excellent doctors but unless things have changed in the last decade they work as a team so your actual doctor may be one of a number under the supervision of the most senior. If you use the more expensive private appointment process this can be avoided I suspect but you are still in a poor English environment and obtaining documents for insurance can be a severe challenge. Poster does not seem to require such limitations as they are insured.

[snooky]

Had my gall bladder out the old fashioned way back in 1977 and no ill effects since I was lucky to be staying at a friends house during recuperation and his wife made sure I was on the strict diet that the doctor had advised, Lost 25 pounds as an after effect of the diet but it eventually came back (sob)

Hope your insurance is not Blue Cross of NJ - took me 3 years and 9 months to collect a bill that I had received for two nights in Bumrungrad - all kinds of excuses -"did not receive it - did not receive the complete data - Why did you not send it to out International Department etc - even sent them a fax which they acknowledged receiving and two weeks later denied receiving it., etc., finally got some young lady on the phone who sympathized with me and had my check for some US $ 1800 within three weeks after that.

Good Luck - surgery quite easy, no matter which way - just don't cough or laugh in the first few days if you have the old fashioned surgery - you will regret i. When I had mine cut out, a friend came to visit me in the hospital. At one point I asked him to go to the bathroom and get me the small pan that one used for spitting into - (in those days all pans were stainless steel). After making a large commotion in the bathroom rattling various pans, he came out, and his heavy Spanish accent asked me "is Dis Vat U Vant? and presented me with a very large bed pan. I could not stop laughing for half an hour and was in complete agony - beware your friends with a sense of humor!!