China opens door for international patients needing advanced brain surgery

30-Nov-2009

China opens door for international patients needing advanced brain surgery

Beijing Tiantan Puhua Hospital, one of the world's leading neurosurgery hospitals, offers China's best expertise in neurosurgery to international patients who come from countries where such treatment is not available or is too expensive.

Beijing Tiantan Puhua Hospital, one of the world's leading neurosurgery hospitals, offers China's best expertise in neurosurgery to international patients who come from countries where such treatment is not available or is too expensive.

Four weeks ago, a team of leading Chinese brain surgeons was assembled to perform the delicate operation of removing a tumor of the skull base, olfactory groove meningioma ,on a patient from Egypt. The patient, a 45 year old female, was unable to get the treatment in the Middle East because of the tumor's large size and dangerous position.

In an operation lasting more than 12 hours, the team removed a tumor 5.5 cm in diameter that had invaded the sinus cavities, parts of the nasal area, and the orbits of the eyes, causing total blindness and bulging of the right eye and triggering severe headaches. The tumor also threatened critical blood vessels in the brain and the left eye's optic nerve. Operating simultaneously from an opening in the skull and through the nose using an endoscope, the team completely removed the tumor. The successful outcome of the operation was confirmed twelve days after the operation when no signs of cerebrospinal fluid leakage from the nose or skull had been found. Sight in the left eye recovered within two days after the surgery and total recovery will occur gradually over the next two months. Watch the Video on Youtube

When the patient woke up after the operation, she asked the anesthesiologist ”When will the operation begin The doctor told her that it was already done The patient replied: This is the most beautiful moment in my life.

Last week she was on her way back to Egypt having being given a new lease of life.

The patient's brother who accompanied her to China said: We searched the Internet and consulted many doctors around the world. In the end we were left with three choices -- USA, Panama and China. In USA they quoted approximately 250 thousand dollars for the operation -- ten times more than here [in China]. I chose to come to China because they have so many people, I thought they must be doing many operations. He continued: Also, in China they had a clear strategy how to do the operation... Now, after the operation, my sister has been very comfortable and has no pain. Fortunately it was possible to completely remove the tumor.

Vivian Wang, Marketing Manager at Tiantan Puhua Hospital said We are very pleased that international patients can benefit from the unique experience and skill of the best Chinese neurosurgeons. The surgical procedure that was performed on an international patient with such a difficult tumor marks an important milestone in helping us to announce that we are open to the world and that we can now offer even the most complex neurosurgery procedures to all.

Dr Sherwood Yang, General Manager at Tiantan Puhua Hospital said Advanced neurosurgery is not available in many places in the world. In China we have a very large population and all the most difficult brain surgery cases are sent to Beijing. Our doctors have unique experience because they have treated so many similar cases. We collaborate with the leading hospitals and bring in the best surgeons for any given situation. On average, Tiantan Puhua Hospital and it's sister hospital Tiantan Hospital combined, do approximately 4200 brain operations per year and since 1995 we have performed approximately 1500 skull base operations. Unfortunately, the perception of Chinese doctors is sometimes not aligned with reality. Chinese surgeons have pioneered many neurosurgical procedures. Here we routinely treat difficult and rare conditions that some doctors in the west hardly ever see. We have all the latest equipment and instruments and only use approved and safe surgical materials, imported if necessary, from Europe, Japan and USA. Sometimes foreign visitors come to our hospital and are surprised to discover that we are so advanced. And when they are told how much lower the cost is compared to Europe and USA, they are even more surprised." Dr Yang continued "Many of our practitioners and specialists have worked in Europe, USA or Japan at some of the most prestigious medical institutions and they bring back the best the west has to offer. We combine the best from the West with the vast experience our Chinese doctors have accumulated.

With soaring costs for medical treatment in the west and since there are few centers in the world that can undertake the most difficult neurosurgical procedures, there will be a significant number of patients who need to travel for their treatment. Many will discover that China is a viable option, especially if cost is a consideration.