Brain Tumour Treatment Cost in South Africa

There are several best hospitals for Brain Tumour Treatment in South Africa. Some of the most renowned hospitals for Brain Tumour Treatment in South Africa include the following:

1. Life Kingsbury Hospital
2. Lenmed Ahmed Kathrada Private Hospital

After discharge from the hospital, the patient has to stay for another 30 days in the country for complete recovery. During this time, the patient undergoes medical tests and consultations. this is to ensure that the treatment was successful and the patient us safe to return.

South Africa is considered to be one of the best places for Brain Tumour Treatment in the world. This is because of the availability of some of the best doctors, advanced medical technology and good hospital infrastructure. However, some of the other popular destinations for Brain Tumour Treatment include the following:

1. Tunisia
2. India
3. South Korea
4. Singapore
5. Malaysia
6. the United Arab Emirates
7. Spain
8. Lithuania
9. Switzerland
10. Thailand

There are certain additional cost that the patient has to pay apart from the Brain Tumour Treatment cost. These include the cost of accommodation and meals outside hospital. The per day cost in this case may range around USD$ 35.

There are many cities that offer Brain Tumour Treatment in South Africa, including the following:

• Cape Town
• Johannesburg

After the Brain Tumour Treatment takes place, the average duration of stay at the hospital is about 5 days. The doctors team review the patient's recovery during this time with the help of blood tests and imaging scans. Once they feel that everything is on track, the patient is discharged.

There are about 2 Brain Tumour Treatment hospitals in South Africa that are best known for their services. Apart from good services, the hospitals are known to follow all standard and legal guidelines as dictated by the local medical affairs body or organization.

Brain Tumor is a severe disease which happens due to the formation and growth of abnormal mass of cells in the brain. Some of these tumors are benign (noncancerous) and some are malignant (cancerous). Every tumor has its own pace of growth. The location of the tumor and its growth rate defines how it will affect the functioning of the nervous system. The Primary Brain Tumor emerges in the brain or in the tissues surrounding it like meninges (brain-covering membrane), penal glands (pituitary glands) and cranial nerves.

Primary Brain Tumors take place when the normal cells in the brain are disturbed. This particular disturbance involves the cells to grow and divide along with staying alive instead of dying as the normal cells do after a period of time. This process, in the end, allows the mass of abnormal cells to grow and become a tumor. Stating the specific reason behind this abnormal growth of mass of cells is quite tough as there has not been any solid reason supporting the very cause of brain tumors. However, there are many risk factors which are believed to have something to do with the occurrence of brain tumors. Some of the most common risk factors are –

• Excessive exposure to radiation

• Weak immune system

• Genetic disorder such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Hippel-Lindau disease, Neurofibromatosis, and Tuberous Sclerosis.

The types of surgeries available in South Africa for Brain Tumor Surgery are –

• Biopsy–To confirm the diagnosis, a piece of the tumor is removed with the help of a surgical procedure called ‘biopsy’. Afterward, the sample is examined under the microscope to determine which kind of a tumor it is. A biopsy can either be performed as a part of the tumor surgery or as a totally separate procedure.

• Craniotomy –This specific surgery is the most common type of surgery performed for the treatment of the brain tumor. In order to perform the craniotomy, a section of the scalp is shaved in order to make a clear incision through the skin. With the help of specialized equipment, the surgeon removes the bone of the treatment area to expose the part of the brain enclosing the tumor. Next, the outermost layer of the brain tissue (Dura mater) is opened up and the tumor is removed.

• Shunt –In some cases, patients develop amplified intracranial pressure. To release the pressure, a procedure is performed to drain the blocked or excess fluid. Basically, a shunt is a thin piece of a flexible tube known as the catheter that is inserted into the ventricle of the patient’s brain. The other end of the catheter is stitched under the scalp towards the neck and still being under the skin; it is stitched to another cavity of the body which is the ultimate destination of the fluid drainage.

The recovery process post-surgery in South Africa for the Brain Tumor Treatment is as same as it is in any other country. The healing from the surgery requires an ample amount of time and patience at the same time. It will take quite a lot of time for the patient to be healthy and resume routine activities. In addition, the total time required for the patient to heal from the surgery varies from person to person and depends on various factors such as –

• The procedure used to remove the brain tumor

• Location of the brain tumor

• Regions of the brain affected due to the surgery

• Age and health of the patient

The hospital stay depends on various factors such as the type of surgery performed, if the patient faces any kind of complications post-surgery or requires another treatment, etc.

The top hospitals for brain tumor treatment in South Africa are Lenmed La Verna Private hospital, Ahmed Kathrada Private hospital, Zamokuhle Private hospital, Life Kingsbury hospital, UCT Private Academic hospital, Netcare hospital.

Top doctors in South Africa at Zamokuhle Private hospital are Dr. AO Adedipe and the doctors at Ahmed Kathrada Private hospital are Dr. V Goolab and Prof R Gopal. The doctors at Life Kingsbury hospital are Dr. AL Mbatha and Dr. John Hill. The doctors at UCT Private Academic hospital are Le Feuvre David and Prof. Taylor Allan.