Tiantan Puhua Hospital opens door for international patients needing advanced brain surgery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) November 27, 2009 -- 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.

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.

Dr Sherwood Yang, General Manager of the Hospital said "Advanced neurosurgery is not available in many countries. 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. 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. Chinese surgeons have pioneered many neurosurgical procedures. Here we routinely treat difficult and rare conditions that some doctors in the west hardly ever see.

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.