Kidney Transplant Cost in South Korea

There are many hospitals across the country that offer Kidney Transplant to international patients. For quick reference, the following are some of the leading hospitals for Kidney Transplant in South Korea:

1. Asan Medical Centre

Upon discharge from the hospital after Kidney Transplant in South Korea, the patients are advised to stay for about 45 days for 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.

Apart from the Kidney Transplant cost, the patient may have to pay for additional daily expenses such as for guest house after discharge and meals. The extra charges may start from USD 50 per person.

Some of the best cities in South Korea which offer Kidney Transplant are:

• Seoul

The patient is supposed to stay at the hospital for about 7 days after Kidney Transplant for monitoring and care. During the recovery, the patient is carefully monitored and control tests are performed to see that everything is okay. If required, physiotherapy sessions are also planned during recovery in hospital.

There are more than 1 hospitals that offer Kidney Transplant in South Korea. The above listed clinics are approved to perform the surgery and have proper infrastructure to handle Kidney Transplant patients. These hospitals comply with all the rules and regulations as dictated by the regulatory bodies and medical association in South Korea

Some of the top medical specialists for Kidney Transplant in South Korea are:

1. Dr. Yang Won Seok
2. Dr. Kim Soon Bae
3. Dr. Jung Hee Lee
4. Dr. Hwang Shin
5. Dr. Lee Sung Gyu
6. Dr. Kyoo Hyung Lee

A large number of kidney transplants have been done successfully in South Korea. The success rate of the transplant in most of the hospitals in the country is 85–90%. Living donor transplants have a higher success rate. Blood-related donors have reported even better results as compared to non-blood related donors. Cross-matching as well as HLA typing reports play a significant role in making the kidney transplantation more effective.

Once it is decided to proceed with a kidney transplant, you will have to be evaluated to find if you are fit enough to have a transplant and there is no infection and other comorbidities like a liver disease, advance age, and cardiac diseases, which might affect your long-term survival after transplant. Detailed history and physical examination is performed to determine your native kidney disease. Your heart will be evaluated by the cardiologist. Pulmonologist will also evaluate your lung function. Psychological assessment will be done by a psychiatrist to identify any behavioral, social, and financial issues that may affect adherence after transplant. The costs of evaluation and diagnostic tests associated with Kidney Transplant in South Korea are 2500 and 2000 USD respectively.

There are many factors that can affect the cost of Kidney Transplant in South Korea. Some of these are:

• The cost of kidney transplant also depends on the age of a patient. The age of the patients is also a crucial factor that affects the total transplant cost. Treatment cost is higher for elederly patients.
• There are three types of kidney transplant available in South Korea. Cost is higher in case of living donor transplant.
• Relationship to the donor is an important factor which contributes to the cost of the surgery.
• The cost of the surgery may be higher if a patient is suffering from any condition, as it needs to be treated before the procedure is performed in order to avoid any complications. This additional treatment contributes to the actual cost of surgery.
• A surgeon’s fee depends on the overall experience of the surgeon, their qualification, success rate, and the hospital with which the surgeon is associated.
• A person needs to get some vital tests done so that the doctor may know their overall health status. The surgeon will closely review all test reports to find out if the patient is ready for the surgery. It also helps to detect any other condition in the patient, if any.
• There may be post-surgical complications which require additional treatment and longer hospital stay, which in turn may lead to higher cost.
• Every hospital has different types of rooms depending on the facilities available. Staying in each type of room costs different.
• The cost also depends on the currency of the country from where the patient is traveling.

South Korea holds a distinct place when it comes to kidney transplant, and this is mainly because of highly experienced world-class surgeons who have a high success rate and can handle even the most complicated cases with great ease. Some of these surgeons are:

• Prof. Kwak Ihm Soo : Prof. Kwak Ihm Soois a nephrologist at Pusan National University Hospital, Seo-gu, South Korea. He has 30 years of experience. He is a highly experienced Renal Specialist and has a graduate degree from London Medical School. He is an expert at treating diabetic kidney disease, Glomerulonephritis, hypertension and chronic renal failure.
• Prof. Lee Jong-Ho : With 38 years of experience, Dr. Lee Jong-Ho is a renowned Kidney Transplant surgeon with huge experience in treating renal conditions and renal transplants. He graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine, and did MD course from the same university. Jong-Ho is a leading kidney transplant surgeon and has expertise in treating kidney failure and glomerulonephritis. He is associated with Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital.
• Prof. Jo Young-Il : Jo Young-Il has 25 years of experience and is associated with Kosin University Gospel Hospital. He is a renowned Kidney Transplant surgeon with vast experience in treating renal medical conditions and performing renal transplants. He graduated from Konkuk University College of Medicine, and MD from the Korea University Graduate School of Medicine.
• Prof. Ho-Sik Shin : He has 22 years of experience in treating advanced kidney-related ailments and performing surgical procedures. Shin obtained his MD degree from Kosin University College of Medicine and M.M.Sc from the same institution. He is an expert kidney transplant team and performs Hemodialysis and Peritoneal dialysis. He also treats acute kidney injury, and chronic kidney disease.

Living Donor and Deceased Donor are the two types of kidney transplant available in South Korea.

• Deceased Donor : A deceased donor kidney comes from an individual who has died. The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act allows all people to agree for organ donation at the time of death. It also allows families to give such permission. Once permission for donation is given, the kidneys are then removed and safely stored until the recipient has been chosen.
• The cost of Deceased Donor Transplant in South Koreais 75000 USD.
• Living Donor : Sometimes family members, including brothers, sisters, parents, children (18 years or older), uncles, aunts, cousins, or a spouse or close friend may wish to donate a kidney. That person is called a "living donor." The donor must be in excellent health, well informed about transplantation, and able to give informed consent. Any healthy person can donate a kidney safely.
• The cost of Living Donor Transplant in South Koreais 81000 USD.

Hospitals in South Korea perform kidney transplantation with 85-90% success . Foreign patients are treated by well-qualified doctors. South Korean doctors have extensive experience in handling complex procedures like kidney transplantation. The doctors also work according to strict treatment protocols. The transplant centers are well-equipped with advanced technology to provide top medical facilities. The hospitals also provide excellent care to patients. Low treatment costs is why people most prefer South Korea for medical treatment. The cost of kidney transplants in South Korea is lower than other developed parts of the world. The donors are also easily available. The documentation process is simple and also transparent. The government of South Korea gives full support for the transplant. It helps in every possible way to find the donor.

• SoonChunHyang University Hospital – Cheonan : It is a leading tertiary-care hospital and became the first among Korea's university hospitals to offer onsite cancer education in 2001. The hospital was designated as an internship institute for medical technicians. The hospital offers both outpatient and inpatient care to nephrology patients. Services for kidney dialysis, biopsies, and kidney transplantation are available under a single roof. The transplant team includes highly specialized urologists,nephrologists, and transplant surgeons.
• Asan Medical Center, Seoul : The hospital excels in medical robot systems, anticancer therapy, and molecular imaging technology. The hospital became a well-recognized Center of Excellence in a short span of time. Their experienced faculty has performed transplants in extremely complex cases including Kidney Transplant, and Cadaver Transplants.
• Seoul National University Hospital : Seoul National University Hospital excels in medical research & development. The hospital houses highly trained and skilled transplant surgeons with a record of excellence in this speciality by conducting successfully a number of kidney transplants. The hospital has the best medical devices, experienced medical staff, and advanced medical information system.

Living kidney transplant is the major kidney transplantation in South Korea. In kidney transplantation, coercion of donation, organ trafficking, assessment orders, breach of agreement should be evaluated with respect to legal,ethical, and medical considerations. The Korean Organ and Tissue Donor Program promotes kidney transplantations to resolve the shortage of cadaveric kidney donation. The South Korean laws ensure the kidney transplantation is ethically performed without any commercial interest.

If you want to undergo a kidney transplant in South Korea, you will have to follow these steps:

• You need to consult your doctor about having a kidney transplant.
• The doctor will refer you to visit a transplant center for required tests to check if you are healthy to get a transplant.
• Living donors will have to be tested so that they’re healthy to donate a kidney. In case you do not have any living donor, then you will be put on a waiting list to get a kidney.
• You need to have blood tests every month while you wait for the kidney.
• You should go to the hospital to have the transplant when you know that a kidney is available.
• If you’ve a living donor, then you could schedule the transplant well in advance.
• All the legal formalities need to be completed before the transplant is scheduled.