Cosmetic dentistry in Costa Rica is a feasible alternative for people intimidated by the high cost of cosmetic dentistry procedures like dental implants and dental bridges in the USA. More than 100 million people in the USA lack dental insurance, and hence dental treatment abroad becomes an attractive, cost-effective option to such persons.
Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry in Costa Rica
Cosmetic dentistry procedures like immediate load dental implants in Costa Rica cost only a fraction of the USA price and it does not involve any lowering of quality. You will save a neat 30-50% even if all related expenses like travel, stay, and a bit of a holiday are added up.
Quality of dental care in Costa Rica is at par with what you expect in the USA.
Board-certified cosmetic dentists in Costa Rica are established, reputed professionals with years of experience. They speak good English, so there are no communication problems.
Cosmetic dentists in Costa Rica, like their counterparts in USA, use the latest computer-aided design and modeling software like 3D imaging.
Costa Rica is also a beautiful place to visit with its tropical forests, mountains, and pristine beaches. It is also a safe country with a stable democracy, high level of education, and friendly people.
US and Canadian citizens do not require a visa for stay of up to three months.
All major US airlines have regular nonstop Costa Rica flights from many US cities. It is easy for Canadians, too, to fly to Costa Rica because of good number of flights.
Disadvantages of Cosmetic Dentistry in Costa Rica
You need to have more time in hand since you are traveling to another country and will need to stay as long as required to complete the dental procedure.
Spanish is the most common language, though English is quite common. Not all cosmetic dentists and staff at dental clinics in Costa Rica may speak English. You will have to check this beforehand. However, staff at Medical Tourism Corporation’s network hospitals in Costa Rica speak fluent English and there are interpreters available, when required.
Cost of Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures in Costa Rica
Let us now look at some of the cosmetic dentistry procedures, and their costs in the USA. You can expect to save a substantial amount – 30-50% – if you get these procedures done in Costa Rica.
Immediate load dental implants in Costa Rica are not only hugely affordable but also of the highest quality. Costa Rica orthodontists in tourist hospitals regularly work with medical tourists from the US, Canada, and other parts of the world.
Porcelain Veneers in Costa Rica can be easily accommodated in a vacation, as they take about 1-2 visits only. Teeth veneers are extremely thin porcelain shells used on the front surface of front teeth to cover discoloration, chipping or minor misalignments. In the US, it generally takes $300 to $2,000 per tooth.
Dental Bridges in Costa Rica will be a fraction of the cost in the US. Dental bridges are false teeth, used when there are one or more missing teeth. In the US, they are priced between $500 and $900.
Dental Crowns in Costa Rica, along with a rejuvenating vacation, will truly add to your total makeover. In the US, the cost of a single dental crown can be between $800-$1,200.
Quality, dependable cosmetic dentistry in Costa Rica is very affordable by US standards. When superb quality accompanies such huge savings, it becomes an option hard to look away from.
People who need to replace missing teeth have several options today, like dentures and dental implants. In this article we will compare dental implants and dentures: situations where one is preferable over the other and why dentures or dental implants abroad could be a good idea.
Comparison of Dental Implants and Dentures
Material:
Dentures are made of acrylic, cast metal, flexible plastic for base and plastic or porcelain for the teeth part.
Dental implants are made of titanium, a metal compatible with the human body.
Procedure:
Dentures take several appointments over three to six weeks. In the first appointment, impressions of the jaw and tooth structure are taken. Wax or plastic moulds are created and tried on. Final cast is made and fitted and adjustments made.
The tooth implant is placed in the bone socket. (Local anesthesia needed). It takes five to eight months to fix the prosthetic tooth onto the implant.
Comfort:
The denture can move and make clicking sounds when you eat or speak, so it may make you uncomfortable. Dentures in the upper jaw have better grip than lower dentures due to suction from roof of the mouth. Ability to chew is greatly reduced, compared to natural teeth.
Dental implants or implant-retained dental prostheses are very stable, as they have a root-like portion that fits into the bone socket, like natural teeth. People who have implant-supported artificial teeth can chew efficiently.
Where they are used:
Dentures can be used when you have lost many or all your teeth because of periodontal disease, tooth decay, damage, or aging. Dental implants can be used here too, but only if you have healthy jaw bone to support them.
Dental implants can be used to replace missing teeth, either one or more. But may not be advisable for diabetics and smokers as osseo-integration might take longer.
What to expect once you have them:
Dentures will need to be re-aligned, re-based or re-made as your gums and jaw structure change with aging. Dentures are also subject to normal wear and proper oral hygiene is necessary.
With proper care, dental implants last a lifetime.
Why Dental Implants are considered Better than Dentures
Dental implants enable firm placing of the prosthetic teeth. The tiny titanium screws act like the root of a natural tooth, so you don’t have to worry about the crown falling off.
You can chew better with implant-supported artificial teeth.
Dental implants are made of titanium, which the body accepts. This has two advantages: one, it promotes healthy bone growth and second, this natural bone holds the implant firmly in place. The opposite happens with dentures, as pressure from the dentures causes disintegration of bone material.
Some people may be allergic to some of the material like acrylic used in dentures whereas titanium used in dental implants is bio-compatible.
Dental implants offer more options. It is possible to get your dentures fixed with mini dental implants.
Disadvantages of Dental Implants
Dental implants are more expensive than dentures.
Dental implants are more time-consuming. After the implants are placed, it may take anywhere from 3-6 months for osseo-integration to happen.
People with a tendency to grind teeth may not be suitable for dental implants.
If the bones have shrunk and are not in a condition to support the implant, the dental surgeon may advise bone graft for dental implants. This involves further cost, time, and surgery.
Dental implants are an invasive procedure, and involves incisions and stitches. Though done under anesthesia, people with dental surgery phobia may not want to go for it.
There are different types of dentures including complete dentures, removable partial dentures and implant-retained dentures. The cost varies according to which of these you need, the different material used and the dentist’s fee. The cost could be anything between $300 and $2,500 in the US. Traditional dental implants cost in the range of $2,000 and $4,500 in the US. Low cost dental implants in Costa Rica, Mexico, El Salvador, or India can save you about 60% or more of the US cost, with no compromise in quality. Plus, it offers you the chance to combine a tropical vacation with your dental treatment package.
Because of the geographical proximity, there are many similarities in culture, too, and it is not like going to an alien land where you may have to be ready for culture shock.
World-class lap band centers with reputed bariatric surgeons are sprinkled along the south of the Texas-Mexico, California-Mexico, and Arizona-Mexico border, the important ones being at Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Reynosa, and Monterrey.
Lap Band Surgery in Texas-Mexico Border
Ciudad Juarez, Reynosa, and Monterrey are some of the major lap band centers along the Texas-Mexico border. These are helpful for people from the following cities in Texas state – Kingsville, Las Cruces, McAllen, Harlingen, Brownsville, Laredo, Eagle Pass, Del Rio, El Paso.
Ciudad Juarez: If planning to fly here for your gastric band, best would be to land at El Paso, Texas, USA. The airport is just 25 minutes away from the Mexico border.
Reynosa: You could land at McAllen, TX Airport, USA from where the Mexico lap band hospital is 25 minutes away.
Monterrey: You could either fly or even drive down from Texas, as it is just 4 to 5 hours from the US-Mexico border.
Lap band clinics from Medical Tourism Corporation’s network provide free pick-up and drop to US airports near the Mexico border.
Lap Band Surgery in Arizona-Mexico Border
For people living in Douglas, San Luis, Lukeville, Sasabe, Nogales, Naco cities in Arizona state, crossing over to Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico for a cheaper lap band is more than a feasible option, thanks to the superb medical care which is also incredibly low cost. Also, unlike going to far-off places, going to Mexico for follow-up visits can be done easily, as, again, the distance is not too much.
Lap Band Surgery in California-Mexico Border
Mexican gastric band surgeons in the state of Baja California in Mexico have been doing the lap band surgery much before their US counterparts, and hence have much more experience. Not only do they have excellent success rates, but they can also speak good English, making communication quicker and easier between patient and doctor. People from San Diego, Otay Mesa, Tecate, Calexico, and Andrade in California state are very close to the Mexico border and often cross over for low cost weight loss surgery.
Advantage of Obesity surgery in Ciudad Juarez/Reynosa/Monterrey for California, Arizona & Texas residents
Huge cost savings: This is the most obvious and one of the most significant advantages to be had by going across the border for lap band. To many, it is quite unbelievable that the same obesity surgery with the same quality can be had at half the cost just by traveling for a few hours. Also, the flights to US airports on the border are pretty cheap. So, you gain on the travel fare, too.
Proximity: Bariatric surgery on the Mexico border is a very attractive option as traveling to the Mexican border for lap band presents no problems at all in terms of the money or time required to travel.
Board-certified lap band surgeons and accredited hospitals: If Mexico’s cost advantage was not accompanied by quality comparable to US healthcare, it wouldn’t be the booming medical tourism destination that it is today. That said, exercise caution in the selection of the right lap band surgeon and hospital in Mexico.
Medical Tourism Corporation facilitates low cost gastric band surgery south of the border at Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Reynosa, Monterrey and other places along the US-Mexico border.
India is a popular destination abroad for revision hip replacement (or arthroplasty) surgery. Revision hip replacement is an orthopedic surgery to replace an earlier hip prosthesis that has worn out. Though first-time hip joint replacements are common and successful nowadays, they tend to wear out with time. When a patient’s hip replacement has worn out, he/she may need a revision hip surgery.
Revision hip replacement surgery is more complicated and time-consuming than first-time total hip replacement surgery. As a result, cost of revision hip surgery is very high in USA, Canada and UK. It would be much more affordable to get your revision hip replacement surgery in India at world class hospitals by board certified orthopedic surgeons.
Why does Revision Hip Replacement become Necessary?
Hip joints are replaced for the first time in patients suffering from severe hip arthritis or trauma. These hip prostheses work very well in the first 15 years for most people. However, by 15 to 20 years, a good number of people will have worn out their prosthesis and will need hip revision surgery.
Hip replacements can wear out for reasons like infections, damage to the prosthesis, bone breakage around the replacement, etc.
Obesity can contribute to faster wearing of the hip implant.
People who undergo hip replacement at a relatively younger age will probably outlive their hip prosthesis. People who are very active are at higher risk. Ceramic hip replacement which has less wear than MoM prosthesis may be of help to this category.
Another common reason is aseptic loosening which is the loosening of the hip implant inside the bone. This is a painful condition. If there are causes like infections for needing revision surgery, these will have to be taken care of separately before revision surgery is done.
A US study of 51,000 hip revision surgeries found that dislocation of the initial prosthesis was the reason in 23% of hip revisions while 20% was accounted for by mechanical loosening of the device and another 15% of revisions were needed due to infections.
It must be noted that all individuals who need a revision surgery do not experience symptoms. Conversely every person who experiences some of the symptoms cannot undergo the rigors of revision surgery. A decision in this regard can be made only after a thorough medical examination of the candidate to see if the benefits outweigh the risks.
Advantages and Risks of Revision Hip Replacement
Benefits:
Pain relief.
Improved ease in movement.
Treatment of infection and avoiding further complications.
Disadvantages:
By the time revision surgery is needed, the person has advanced in age. Quality of the bone becomes an issue due to this.
With total hip replacement the first time, your orthopedic surgeon would have removed some bone in order to fix the prosthesis. Availability of sufficient bone to secure the revision prosthesis can be a problem.
In several cases, bone grafts are needed. This involves addition of bone material to reconstruct the acetabulum (hip socket) from where bone was removed to fix the prosthesis. It can be an auto-graft (bone taken from other parts of one’s own body- e.g. pelvis) if the requirement is very small. If more bone is needed, the hip surgeon will use an allograft (donor bone). Due to concerns like contracting HIV or hepatitis, the bone tissue needs to be screened thoroughly for infectious agents and proper processing.
After grafting, you are advised to avoid putting weight on the operated hip for three months or so. This time is needed for the graft to grow into solid bone. This can be a lot of hard work and you will need crutches for some time. Patients for revision surgery are typically older and less able to cope with long procedures and blood loss.
The old, worn out prosthesis has to be removed. This adds to the time and complicated nature of revision hip replacement surgery.
Risks:
There is a chance of the femur bone fracturing during surgery. If this happens, extra repair measures will be needed.
The operated leg may end up being shorter or longer than before surgery.
Mobility and range of motion may be more restricted compared to after first-time replacements.
You may be unable to regain your normal gait again.
Dislocation and loosening risk is to be expected in the first three months after operation. Greater pre-operative bone loss and poor quality of bone increase this risk.
Infection, bleeding, trauma to nerves in the region etc are likely, just like in all surgical procedures.
Blood clots in legs or lungs can occur due to twisting and trauma of blood vessels.
Patients with existing heart and lung problems may experience problems related to these.
For all these reasons, a revision hip arthroplasty has to be carefully considered and planned.
Why consider India for Hip Revision Surgeries?
The reasons for India’s popularity as a center for hip revision surgery are:
The number of revision surgeries performed by the specialist orthopedic surgeons in India is very high compared to that done by their counterparts in the West. This is good news as revision surgeries usually require higher level of expertise and experience for good results.
The cost is way lower. This, again, is very advantageous as revision surgery is usually performed on older people, whose income may have been reduced or who may be dipping into their savings for this surgery.
Most insurance plans do not cover revision surgeries.
Most surgeons have been dealing with Western patients for a long time now. So, there is ease and comfort on both sides.
Cost of Revision Hip Replacement in India
Revision hip surgery is technically more demanding of the surgeon. Only highly experienced hip surgeons undertake to perform this surgery due to increased risk factors. Consequently, revision hip surgery is even more expensive than primary THR. Orthopedic surgeries are highly costly in USA, Canada and UK.
For the medically uninsured population, revision hip surgery in world-class orthopedic hospitals in India can work out much more affordable. Orthopedic surgeons in India have high level of expertise and specialization in surgeries such as hip resurfacing, revision hip surgery and knee arthroplasty.
Total knee replacement is commonly used for elderly people with severe arthritis. However, there are situations where doctors might advise knee replacement for younger people, too.
Knee replacement prostheses can help in situations where the patient is suffering from severe pain of the knee joint and internal medicine is of very little or no help. This is usually a condition associated with wear and tear of knee cartilage that occurs with advanced age.
Younger people can also suffer damage to knee cartilage and subsequent pain, owing to reasons like infections, obesity and accidents/trauma. When this affects the quality of life and when other treatments are not effective, surgeons might consider knee arthroplasty for middle aged and young patients.
Out of the 431,485 knee replacement surgeries that took place in 2004, 8,468 (2%) were performed for people in the 18-44 age group and 157,149 (36.4%) in the 45-64 age group. Over the period between 2000 and 2004, the percentage of knee replacement patients between age 18 and 44 remained at 2% while the percentage for patients aged 45-64 was roughly 33%.
By conservative estimates, a person who hasn’t still entered his/her sixties is considered too young for knee surgery. The reasons lie in lifestyle patterns rather than biological factors. People in their prime of life tend to be more active, so the replaced joints wear out sooner. This need not be an issue if the patient is careful to stick to low-impact activities.
How is Knee Replacement in Youth Different from Regular Knee Replacement?
Usually, surgeons try to avoid knee replacements in younger people. This is because people lead a more active lifestyle in youth that leads to faster wearing away of the artificial joints. Further, young/ middle aged people have more years to live and chances are very high that they will need second replacements. Revision surgery is more technically difficult and results are not as good as first time replacements.
However, knee prostheses in younger, active patients are durable and effective for about two decades. For instance, in one study conducted in New York in 88 patients aged 55 and below, the success rates were in the range of 84-90% in the first 18 years.
Benefits of Knee Arthroplasty for People in their Prime
Knee replacement surgery can bring enormous benefits to middle aged and young people in terms of quality of life. Young people will want to and need to lead an active life. Knee replacement can bring relief from debilitating pain and immobility. Benefits of knee arthroplasty include reduced pain and better mobility of the knee joints. Once you have recovered, you will be able to carry out routine activities like walking, shopping and driving.
Mobile-Bearing Prosthesis for Knee Replacement in Younger People
Most people go for fixed-bearing prosthesis. For patients who are young, surgeons may suggest using rotating platform/mobile-bearing knee prosthesis. These are designed for longer performance and less wear. In rotating platform knee implants, the upper and lower components move across a polyethylene insert. This allows for greater flexibility of knee joint movements. Rotating knee replacements can also reduce early wearing. However, compared to fixed-bearing prostheses, rotating implants are not so well equipped to manage imbalances in soft tissues.
Knee prostheses using a new material called Oxinium have been used by some surgeons for the past three years. Advocates of Oxinium claim that it is harder, more scratch-resistant and causes less friction between the femoral part and the plastic tibial surface of the implant, compared to traditional cobalt-chrome prosthesis. However, the long-term efficacy of Oxinium implants is yet to be ascertained.
Non-surgical Treatment Options for Knee Pain in Younger Patients
In knee pain caused by arthritis, treatment starts with exercise, weight management, physical therapy and medications. Exercise and weight management should, under normal circumstances, bring some relief for middle-aged patients with arthritis. Partial or full knee replacement surgery is considered only after these options are exhausted.
Knee Surgery for Younger People Abroad
An increasing number of people from the USA and other western countries are choosing to get their knee replacement in India, Costa Rica or Mexico, thanks to the high-level medical expertise available in these countries at prices much lower than US rates. Total cost of knee joint replacement in Costa Rica, India and Mexico is in the range of $7,000- $13,000 whereas it averages $40,000 in US.
Apart from the cost savings, overseas knee replacement also has the added benefit of being top quality. Well-known hospitals in medical travel destinations like India, Costa Rica and Mexico have highly qualified and experienced medical experts and state-of-the-art facilities. Consider that these hospitals today stand endorsed by thousands of happy people.
Sonny Guerrini, 20, had developed an Ewing’s sarcoma tumor near his spinal cord. Because of the location of the tumor, conventional radiotherapy had the danger of wreaking undesirable side effects. Hence, Sonny chose to go for CyberKnife cancer treatment in Turkey which has several major advantages over traditional radiation therapies like Gamma Knife. Medical Tourism Corporation facilitated Sonny’s CyberKnife treatment in Turkey at a very low cost.
For instance, CyberKnife can treat lesions even in areas of the body that move with respiration (like in the case of lung cancer), thanks to advanced image guidance. Also, CyberKnife does not require a head frame screwed into the skull for immobilization, avoiding the pain, headache, nausea, and risk of infection seen sometimes with stereotactic frames like Gamma Knife.
CyberKnife also effectively treats those tumors that were previously thought inoperable, like brain tumors. Other types of cancers that can be treated with CyberKnife are liver, prostate, kidney, liver, neck, spine, lung, and pancreatic cancer.
Sonny, a student at the University of Brisbane, had to go abroad for cancer treatment because Australia doesn’t have a CyberKnife center. Medical Tourism Corporation arranged Sonny’s medical trip to Turkey and took care of his needs at each step. Everything was planned in detail well in advance and Sonny and his family are extremely satisfied with the professionalism of Medical Tourism Corporation and the quality of medical care at Anadolu Medical Center in Turkey.
The cost of CyberKnife treatment in the US can be anywhere between $50,000-$100,000. But Turkey provides very low cost CyberKnife cancer treatment at prices well below $20,000. The quality of the treatment is the same as in the US for the simple reason that the machine used to deliver the treatment is the same. Also, Turkey has very well-qualified and experienced oncologists who speak English fluently. Hence, there is no fear of the low cost of cancer treatment compromising on the quality.
India has become the top international surrogacy destination for couples and even single men and women who have not been able to have children through natural means. This is because of the cutting edge technology adopted in fertility clinics in India, highly qualified fertility specialists, social acceptance of surrogacy, and low cost of surrogacy, all leading to India’s high success rate in gestational surrogacy.
The success rates for ART cycles that use gestational carriers are higher than success rates for those cycles that did not. However, the age of the ART patient (source of the egg) is a strong predictor of success regardless of whether a gestational carrier is used.
2008 India Gestational Surrogacy Success Rate
It is the right of intending parents to seek from a fertility clinic data on their success rates. (Success rates refer to the number of live births per embryo transfer.) However, it is necessary to understand the way success rates are calculated because some clinics achieve artificially high figures by simply rejecting the patients who have lower chances of pregnancy.
The first chart is for success rate with fresh surrogacy cycles where donor eggs were used.
The second chart shows surrogacy success rates in different categories: self eggs in women less than 35 years, self eggs in women more than 35 years, donor eggs, and same sex couples. The results in the first two cateogries are compared with US average figures from 2005 (more recent US figures are not available).
It is because India’s success rates match or sometimes better US surrogacy success rates that India is a popular destination for surrogacy. But take care to choose a well-respected fertility clinic and a very qualified and experienced fertility specialist.
The human female is born with about a million eggs and this number does not increase. With age, there is a dip in female fertility.
Egg donation or oocyte donation makes it possible for those women to get pregnant who cannot do so with their own eggs. Older women most often opt for this method of fertility treatment. Attempts to conceive with donor egg IVF have a high rate of success.
What Exactly is Donor Egg IVF?
Donor egg IVF is a fertility treatment or Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) in which the egg from a donor is subjected to IVF. That is, the egg from the donor is mixed with the sperm from the biological father in the laboratory. If embryos are produced, they are grown in a lab dish and then transferred to the recipient’s uterus. If this results in a pregnancy, the baby thus born will have genetic linkage to the donor of the egg.
Who Qualifies to Receive an Egg?
The criteria for women to qualify to receive eggs are:
Early menopause
Abnormal ovarian reserve
Previous failures to conceive with IVF
Very low egg quality
Genetic disease
Ovaries unresponsive to stimulation
Over the age of 39
The Egg Donation Process
Couples sometimes choose a known donor. Else, it is an anonymous donor. The donor is screened for any diseases like HIV, chlamydia, hepatitis, toxicology testing and other diseases and also certain genetic predispositions. The donor is usually young, not more than 25 years of age, so that the quality of the eggs is high.
The recipient’s menstrual cycle is synchronized with the donor’s by giving the recipient some hormonal drugs. The male partner of the recipient provides a semen sample on the day eggs are retrieved from the donor. The semen and eggs are then fertilized through the in vitro fertilization process.
Embryo transfer is usually done three days after the eggs were retrieved. Ten days after the embryo transfer, the recipient goes through a blood test to check for pregnancy. (The transfer process involves a speculum which is inserted into the vagina to expose the cervix. The embryo/s is/are suspended in fluid and gently placed through a catheter into the womb. This process is done by monitoring it through ultrasound and is usually painless.)
Advantages of Donor Egg IVF
The advantages of donor egg IVF are simply its high chances of success. In fact, donor egg IVF has a much higher success rate when compared to IVF with non-donor. It is the age of the egg that seems to matter more than the womb in which it is planted. By receiving the egg, the recipient replicates in her body the donor’s fertility condition.
Risks of Donor Egg IVF
The recipient stands the risk of contracting a transmittable disease. Though the donor is screened for HIV, such testing may not show anything if the donor has contracted HIV very recently.
Also, with donor egg IVF, there is the chance of multiple births if too many embryos are transferred. Twin births often happen in this method.
Donor Egg IVF in India
India has the advanced infrastructure and qualified fertility specialists required for donor egg IVF treatment. It’s the low cost of donor egg IVF in India that has made it a favorite with couples looking to have babies. India’s medical tourism industry is growing by leaps and bounds because of the quality medical care it offers at unbelievable prices.
Please do keep in mind that donor eggs available in India are only of Indian ethnicity. But people from overseas visiting India for surrogacy or egg donor IVF can always bring an egg donor with them from their country of origin.
Donor egg IVF in India has brought sunshine into the homes of many a childless couple. So go ahead and get some sunshine for yourself!
Obesity is one of the most visible of chronic health conditions and has become an epidemic today. Between half and two-thirds of men and women in 63 countries across five continents – not including the US – were overweight or obese in 2006. (Overweight is BMI > 25 , obese is BMI > 30).
What is obesity?
A person is considered obese when his or her weight is 20% or more above the normal weight. Those who have a BMI over 30 are said to be obese, and those with a BMI of 40 or more are called morbidly obese, that is, their weight severely interferes with their health.
How do people become obese?
Obesity, in most cases, is because of excessive and uncontrolled eating and very little or no physical activity. However, there could be some other responsible factors too, like:
Age. With age, the body metabolizes food slowly.
Gender. Women tend to be more overweight than men.
Genetics. Obesity could run in families
Psychological reason. People experiencing negative emotions like boredom, sadness, or anger tend to eat in excess.
Illness. Certain conditions like hypothyroidism, depression, and some rare brain diseases can make people overeat.
Medication. Steroids and some anti-depressants may cause excessive weight gain.
How can obesity be treated?
Conservative methods of treating obesity like exercising and dieting should always be tried first. Patients will need to be committed to their exercise schedule and diet plans for a significant period of time before they expect results. Such health programs should never be abandoned after the first round of weight loss as weight can come back right away.
Weight loss surgery should be the last resort in the fight against obesity, because any surgery comes with risks and side-effects.
Obesity needs a concerted effort from not only the obese individual but his/her family and friends. And the sooner obesity treatment starts, the better, as it takes a long time for people to lose weight.
Costs of medical procedures in the US and UK can often be too high and seem unaffordable, especially for the un-insured or for procedures not covered by insurance. Same is the case with gall bladder surgery or cholecystectomy. But you can achieve significant cost savings if you opt for gall bladder surgery in Mexico, India, or Costa Rica – all well-established and trusted medical tourism destinations. More about that later; first, a brief medical overview of the condition.
What is gall bladder surgery?
Gall bladder surgery essentially involves the removal of stones from the gall bladder or the gall bladder itself. It is one of the most frequently done operations throughout the world as the gall bladder is thought to be an inessential organ in the body.
How is gall bladder surgery done overseas?
The surgery can be done in two ways: (i) conventional gall bladder surgery; (ii) or laparoscopic surgery.
What are the benefits of laparoscopic cholecystectomy or gall bladder surgery?
The conventional surgery involves a large incision on the abdomen and a few days of hospitalization. The laparoscopic method means usually four small incisions that will hardly leave any distinguishable marks and quicker recovery time.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy also means lesser pain for the patient and lesser risk of infection.
Recovery time in the conventional method can be up to four weeks, whereas in the laparoscopic method, most patients return to their normal work routine in a week.
Can I get insurance coverage for gall bladder surgery?
Well, yes and no. That’s because some health plans cover gall bladder surgery, and some don’t. So, you need to check on your specific plan. Also, some plans classify gall bladder surgery as a non-emergency and elective procedure. Hence, it requires pre-surgical certification. This, of course, means some hassle for you. Yet other health plans cover a limited portion of the cost, like $2,500 per coverage period per insured person.
Cost of gall bladder surgery
The cost of gall bladder surgery in the US can vary widely from $ 7,000-$ 15,000 and in the UK from £ 3,500 – £ 5,800. This can seem a huge obstacle to the un-insured and even to the insured whose plan does not cover or has limited cover for gall bladder.
This is why more and more people from the West are turning to medical tourism in India, Mexico, and Costa Rica for cheaper alternatives.
In India, Mexico, and Costa Rica, you can get the same gall blader surgery or cholecystectomy done at about half or even one-fourth the price. The cost of gall bladder surgery abroad is cheaper not because of inferior medical care, but other factors like lower cost of labor, infrastructure, etc.
Doctors in India, Mexico, and Costa Rica are most often educated in the US or UK and have also gained some work experience there. Top hospitals in India, Mexico, and Costa Rica follow strict standards on hygiene and embrace the latest technology.
Hence, if you are contemplating gall bladder surgery or cholecystectomy in India, Mexico, or Costa Rica, there is not much room for concern. Go ahead and enjoy a healthier life, and it wont cost you the earth!
