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DongtanTony
Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Location: Bundang
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 Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:20 pm Post subject: Major/Minor Surgery! |
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I'm looking for information/opinions of anyone that may have had major or minor surgery performed here in Korea.
I've just sustained an injury to my knee that might require arthroscopic surgery at the very least.
I'm just looking for opinions, stories, perceptions, and possibly outcomes of any individuals that have been under the knife while here in Korea.
Any info would be welcomed...about surgery only please...I'm in too much pain to deal with unnecessary remarks or questions. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject: Re: Major/Minor Surgery! |
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| DongtanTony wrote: |
I'm looking for information/opinions of anyone that may have had major or minor surgery performed here in Korea.
I've just sustained an injury to my knee that might require arthroscopic surgery at the very least.
I'm just looking for opinions, stories, perceptions, and possibly outcomes of any individuals that have been under the knife while here in Korea.
Any info would be welcomed...about surgery only please...I'm in too much pain to deal with unnecessary remarks or questions. |
My co-worker had an ACL injury repaired last year. It required surgury and a week in hospital followed by a couple month of physiotherapy. He was very happy with the whole process.
He had it done at the Now Sports Medicine hospital across the street from Poonglim eye-won building in Seohyun (Bundang).
The surgury and hospital stay cost him 1 mil and the physio cost him 1 mil more.
. |
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dr. love
Joined: 09 Oct 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:20 pm Post subject: |
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The skill of Korean orthopedic surgeons is very good. It is an area that the government is looking to exploit by marketing Korea as a destination for medical tourism.
In terms of cost and quality of treatment, Korea is a good option for your surgery.
I broke my collarbone quite badly last december and needed to have surgery to reconnect the bone. I had a plate with 6 screws attached to my collar bone. I am very happy with the results of the surgery.
In choosing a hospital, you want to make sure communication is not a problem and that the surgeon has plenty of experience. There are many private clinics and hospitals that would be able to offer you this treatment.
If you'd like a referral send me a pm. |
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DongtanTony
Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Location: Bundang
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| Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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Great information dr. love and ttompatz.
I appreciate the specific information as well.
I think I'll be looking into Bundang and possible referrals.
I'll be heading to Suwon University Hospital....I think....tomorrow with the boss
Fortunately...I have no ACL in this particular knee 
So at least I know it's not that!! Now I'm worried about my PCL.
I've been under the knife three times on both knees in the past...all basketball related injuries...and guess what I was doing this weekend when I heard the latest "pop".....playing basketball.
Insert dumb a** jokes here!!
But...now thanks to you two...I don't think I'll have to blow my entire savings on this process.
Thanks you guys!!! |
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4seasons
Joined: 25 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 7:15 am Post subject: Surgery |
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Had artho surgery here on my knee. The facilities were fine, price was right. Had 2nd and 3rd opinions from two other hospitals, one being Yonsei.
However, my doctor had me stop all exercise for weeks before the surgery and that seriously delayed my complete recovery. Also, I did nto realize that I wold have to use a crutch for a few weeks post surgery. Other than that, no problem.
Good luck!! |
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DongtanTony
Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Location: Bundang
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:34 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the info 4seasons...especially about the price.
I've scheduled my MRI...in the hopes that I may be able to avoid the knife for a fourth time in my life.
Thanks for the optimism!!!! |
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Joe Boxer
Joined: 25 Dec 2007
Location: Bundang, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:02 am Post subject: |
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I've broken my hands 5 times while in Korea (I'm a pro boxer). I've had surgery on my right hand twice, and both times I went to the Seoul National University Hospital, near Insa dong, for the procedure.
SNU Hospital is AWESOME because they have a foreigner help center. The kind nurses there will walk you to each doctor's appointment, blood test, X-ray, MRI, CAT scan, DOG scan, and take you to the front of the line EVERY TIME!
Hand surgery was relatively cheap, considering the procedure (bolting two titanium plates to my hand, and taking bone from my pelvis to use as a cement). Don't know about the knee prices, though.
Oh, make sure you stay in six-person room. It's waaay cheaper, and it's really not that bad. It's hard to get those rooms, though, because everyone wants one. The nurses at the foreigner clinic will help you with that, too!
Don't know where you are, but when you get to Insadong, just hop into a cab and say "Seoul Dae Byungwan". |
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DongtanTony
Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Location: Bundang
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:04 am Post subject: |
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Six person room...I'll keep that in mind.
Thanks for the info Joe!!! |
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caniff
Joined: 03 Feb 2004
Location: All over the map
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:10 am Post subject: |
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I had my ACL reconstructed a couple of years ago at Baek Hospital in Ilsan. No problems since.
The nurses' bedside manners were great (except for the fact that I had to self-sponge-bathe  ). |
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bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 3:36 pm Post subject: Re: Major/Minor Surgery! |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| DongtanTony wrote: |
I'm looking for information/opinions of anyone that may have had major or minor surgery performed here in Korea.
I've just sustained an injury to my knee that might require arthroscopic surgery at the very least.
I'm just looking for opinions, stories, perceptions, and possibly outcomes of any individuals that have been under the knife while here in Korea.
Any info would be welcomed...about surgery only please...I'm in too much pain to deal with unnecessary remarks or questions. |
My co-worker had an ACL injury repaired last year. It required surgury and a week in hospital followed by a couple month of physiotherapy. He was very happy with the whole process.
He had it done at the Now Sports Medicine hospital across the street from Poonglim eye-won building in Seohyun (Bundang).
The surgury and hospital stay cost him 1 mil and the physio cost him 1 mil more.
. |
ACL surgery.. as in reconstructive surgery?
it cost him 1 mil?
as in 1 mil won.. as in 1 grand?
was this out of pocket because of insurance or the cash/pay as you go price?
that's preposterously inexpensive. in the US they scam you for 20-30x that amount.
as an aside I think the entire medical system in the US is completely insane in terms of prices.
If I were forced to buy my own insurance (and many people are) , I'd say a big "F-U" and simply become a medical tourist if need be.
you can get surgery for any run of the mill medical problem (that people world wide suffer from) from what is often a US educated surgeon for pennies on the dollar.
(and don't get me started on the prescription drug scam)
btw OP you must have some kind of genetic weakness when it comes to basketball and knees. I blew mine out playing football (when my knee was rammed at full speed while locked from the side,.. happens in basketball, but far more rare. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 3:46 pm Post subject: Re: Major/Minor Surgery! |
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| bogey666 wrote: |
| ttompatz wrote: |
| DongtanTony wrote: |
I'm looking for information/opinions of anyone that may have had major or minor surgery performed here in Korea.
I've just sustained an injury to my knee that might require arthroscopic surgery at the very least.
I'm just looking for opinions, stories, perceptions, and possibly outcomes of any individuals that have been under the knife while here in Korea.
Any info would be welcomed...about surgery only please...I'm in too much pain to deal with unnecessary remarks or questions. |
My co-worker had an ACL injury repaired last year. It required surgury and a week in hospital followed by a couple month of physiotherapy. He was very happy with the whole process.
He had it done at the Now Sports Medicine hospital across the street from Poonglim eye-won building in Seohyun (Bundang).
The surgury and hospital stay cost him 1 mil and the physio cost him 1 mil more.
. |
ACL surgery.. as in reconstructive surgery?
it cost him 1 mil?
as in 1 mil won.. as in 1 grand?
was this out of pocket because of insurance or the cash/pay as you go price?
that's preposterously inexpensive. in the US they scam you for 20-30x that amount.
as an aside I think the entire medical system in the US is completely insane in terms of prices.
If I were forced to buy my own insurance (and many people are) , I'd say a big "F-U" and simply become a medical tourist if need be.
you can get surgery for any run of the mill medical problem (that people world wide suffer from) from what is often a US educated surgeon for pennies on the dollar.
(and don't get me started on the prescription drug scam) |
Yes, that was re-constructive surgery for the ACL and yes, US$1000 for the surgery and hospital stay (1 week) including meds and yes, it was a US trained doctor who speaks excellent English.
. |
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DongtanTony
Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Location: Bundang
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:12 pm Post subject: |
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Bogey666...thanx for your opinions...as to my genetic weaknesses...but I suggest you do a little more research in terms of the prevalence of ACL injuries in basketball.
It is one of the top four sports in which this type of injury occurs.
Football, Skiing, Soccer, and Basketball athletes experience these types of injuries on a regular basis...since the ACL is a stabilizing ligament for pivoting and change of direction movements.
Particularly in my currently injured knee...where my surgery was performed over 15 years ago...sports medicine was just emerging from the dark ages.
Some of us just can't let go of the activities...or the sports...that we love. |
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bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:12 pm Post subject: Re: Major/Minor Surgery! |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| bogey666 wrote: |
| ttompatz wrote: |
| DongtanTony wrote: |
I'm looking for information/opinions of anyone that may have had major or minor surgery performed here in Korea.
I've just sustained an injury to my knee that might require arthroscopic surgery at the very least.
I'm just looking for opinions, stories, perceptions, and possibly outcomes of any individuals that have been under the knife while here in Korea.
Any info would be welcomed...about surgery only please...I'm in too much pain to deal with unnecessary remarks or questions. |
My co-worker had an ACL injury repaired last year. It required surgury and a week in hospital followed by a couple month of physiotherapy. He was very happy with the whole process.
He had it done at the Now Sports Medicine hospital across the street from Poonglim eye-won building in Seohyun (Bundang).
The surgury and hospital stay cost him 1 mil and the physio cost him 1 mil more.
. |
ACL surgery.. as in reconstructive surgery?
it cost him 1 mil?
as in 1 mil won.. as in 1 grand?
was this out of pocket because of insurance or the cash/pay as you go price?
that's preposterously inexpensive. in the US they scam you for 20-30x that amount.
as an aside I think the entire medical system in the US is completely insane in terms of prices.
If I were forced to buy my own insurance (and many people are) , I'd say a big "F-U" and simply become a medical tourist if need be.
you can get surgery for any run of the mill medical problem (that people world wide suffer from) from what is often a US educated surgeon for pennies on the dollar.
(and don't get me started on the prescription drug scam) |
Yes, that was re-constructive surgery for the ACL and yes, US$1000 for the surgery and hospital stay (1 week) including meds and yes, it was a US trained doctor who speaks excellent English.
. |
ok, but I assume your friend was working there, ergo covered by his Korean health insurance?
and if so, does this mean that insurance isn't all inclusive?
or was he uninsured and this was pay as you go? |
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bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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| DongtanTony wrote: |
Bogey666...thanx for your opinions...as to my genetic weaknesses...but I suggest you do a little more research in terms of the prevalence of ACL injuries in basketball.
It is one of the top four sports in which this type of injury occurs.
Football, Skiing, Soccer, and Basketball athletes experience these types of injuries on a regular basis...since the ACL is a stabilizing ligament for pivoting and change of direction movements.
Particularly in my currently injured knee...where my surgery was performed over 15 years ago...sports medicine was just emerging from the dark ages.
Some of us just can't let go of the activities...or the sports...that we love. |
dude, didn't mean to be nasty.. actually I MEANT to be kind of sympathetic. I apologize for my wording.
but I DO think you've been dealt a "bad hand" by life in this...but we all have our own "bad hands" eh?
and I completely agree with your top 4 sports list, though I think it's far more prevalent in football than anything else
p.s. I also admire and applaud your persistence in doing the thing you like to do, health issues be damned.
actually I had my knee surgery over 15 years ago, and it's perfectly fine, though I was told way back then by an orthopedic surgeon at a party that I had better plan on a knee replacement as I stumble into geezerdom.
let's hope that doesn't happen.
actually, far as I know, there hasn't been too much change in ACL surgeries in the past 20 years.. they've perfected it.. but nothing like before the advent of it.. when people like Gale Sayers, etc had careers destroyed.
the biggest advance in knee stuff has been microfracture surgery..which is significant.. because if you can retain cartilage, that's the key
(that's why the surgeon told me I'd need knee replacement 20 years later because my cartilage would degenerate - but I've seen no evidence of that happening... yet....)
Last edited by bogey666 on Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:22 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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gteacher
Joined: 24 May 2007
Location: Ghost in the machine
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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I had Knee surgery for a torn meniscus 8 months ago. I week in a private room and all the meds/meals etc. came to around 700,000.
The surgeon was excellent and spoke some English. The hospital food wasn't the best but was edible.
If you go to a larger hospital be sure to ask if they have more than one menu. When my son was in the hospital for pneumonia we discovered that they had a second menu of western food available at a slightly higher cost, but worth every won.
If you go with all basic services the bill will be quite low. But pay for the privacy, its only a couple hundred bucks. |
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