National Heart Centre Singapore Unveils New Techniques For Heart

by National Heart Centre Singapore

Heart patients with small, difficult to treat vessels requiring stenting procedures may soon have another viable option to treat coronary artery disease. Known as the CardioMind SparrowTM Drug-Eluting Coronary Stent System, this stent is 70% smaller in diameter than any other currently approved stent and targets at blood vessels smaller than 2.75mm in diameter.

The Sparrow Stent System is an improved version of the current stents in the market. Conventional balloon-expandable stents travel over guidewires to the lesion in the artery. The Sparrow Stent is incorporated into the distal end of the guidewire itself, therefore having the same outer diameter and flexibility as the guidewire. The stent travels as part of the guidewire to the site of the lesion. The cardiologist then releases the stent and allows it to self-expand and support the vessel wall. The tightness of fit of conventional stents, as well as their inflexibility and the forces delivered by the balloon expansion, may contribute to increased vessel trauma, which in turn leads to less favourable long-term results. The Sparrow Stent also offers more flexibility than the current stents, making it especially adaptable to the treatment of small, tortuous blood vessels often associated with diabetes, which represent 40% of the patients who require a stenting procedure. Over time, the polymer of the Sparrow Stent will gradually biodegrade away and return the stent to a bare metal state. Biodegradable polymers for drug-eluting coronary stents are thought to contribute to a reduction in late stent thrombosis rate.

The centre estimates that 10% – 30% of the patients requiring percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) may benefit from this revolutionary stent. The Sparrow Stent is currently being evaluated in a clinical trial known as the CARE II Study.

This multi-site randomised trial will test both the drug-eluting and bare-metal versions of the Sparrow, plus a competitive stent in 220 patients. The National Heart Centre Singapore is currently the only Asian site to have started in the CARE II Study. Four patients have been treated since the trial started here in September 2008.

“All four patients had uncomplicated procedural and hospital outcomes. I see a great potential for this stent since many of our diabetic patients have small vessels.” said Associate Professor Koh Tian Hai, Medical Director, National Heart Centre Singapore and also the Principal Investigator of CARE II in Singapore.

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Exclusive Ultimate LASIK Package

Ultimate Lasik Treatment in BHT 79,500.00 only…

Your Eyes Deserve the Best

Near-sightedness, far-sightedness, and astigmatism are referred to as “lower order” aberration. In addition to these, our eyes have complex “higher order” aberrations that are not correctable with glasses or contact lenses but can also decrease our quality of vision. In Ultimate LASIK, “Higher order” aberrations are first diagnosed and measured using a wavefront map. This Wavefront map is created by bouncing harmless light rays off the patient’s retina.  Results are then fed into a complex computation program, which calculates a superior ablation profile that not only attempts to retain the natural shape of the cornea but also targets any previous aberrations within a patient’s eye. In addition, the higher speed of the laser shortens the surgery time to provide greater patient comfort and increased reliability. Ultimate LASIK combines the benefits of both Optimization and Wavefront and often provides the best opportunity for superior vision.

Advantages of Ultimate LASIK Treatment

• Treats near-sightedness, far-sightedness, and astigmatism
• Optimization: Designed to Maintain Natural Corneal Shape
• Wavefront: Treatment of Higher-order Aberrations

The Best Technology for your Eyes
TRSC International LASIK Center offers a variety of different technologies. Although newer advanced technologies offer increased opportunity for excellent vision, the necessity for using them varies with the individual qualities of each patient’s eyes (such as spectacle prescription, pupil size, corneal thickness, internal higher-order aberrations, and corneal curvature), TRSC’s LASIK Refractive Surgery Specialists will consult with each patient and help guide their decision in order to provide the best possible results.

TRSC the LASIK Expertise
Technology selection is in fact only one aspect that can affect the outcome of LASIK surgery. It is equally important to select the right LASIK Center. TRSC’s Refractive Specialist Team pioneered LASIK treatment in Thailand and is composed entirely of corneal and refractive specialists who are experts in the field of LASIK refractive surgery. Their experience of having performed surgery on tens of thousands of eyes makes the TRSC medical team honored and well respected among ophthalmologists, and they regularly receive invitations to give lectures at various institutions in Thailand and abroad.

TRSC aspires to give each and every our patient “Lifetime Service for Lifetime Satisfaction.” Through this policy, TRSC has exceeded all international standards of safety and has demonstrated success rates far beyond those of other LASIK Centers. TRSC is leading Asia in the field of LASIK and is the first LASIK Center in Asia to be certified by the International Organization of Standards (ISO 9001:2000), an award given for exceeding high safety standards. TRSC was also recently selected by “Superbrands” as the LASIK Center of choice for Thailand after being chosen in an independent poll that was conducted of 1,000 representatives of the Thai population and a further selection process by a carefully selected panel of experts. This choice was given based on quality, reliability, trust, and service.

Please Click Here to request more information from TRSC Internation LASIK Center

Breast Cancer Treatment Abroad

by Artemis Health Institute

WHAT IS BREAST CANCER?
Your body is made up of many types of cells. In normal course, cells grow, divide, and produce more cells to keep your body healthy. However, at times, this process may not function properly and cells may become abnormal, forming more cells, in an uncontrolled manner. These extra cells form a mass of tissue, called a growth or a ‘tumour’. Tumours can be benign, which means non cancerous, or malignant, which means cancerous. Breast cancer occurs when a malignant tumour forms in the tissue of your breast. According to the site of origin of these cancerous cells, breast cancer is classified into various types. The most common types of breast cancer originate in either the breast’s milk ducts (ductal carcinoma) or lobules (lobular carcinoma). The point of origin is determined by the microscopic appearance of the cancer cells from a biopsy. 

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF BREAST CANCER?
The most common symptom is a lump in the breast. However, there can be other physical changes in the appearance of the breast. Some of these are :

• Breast lump or breast mass – usually painless, firm to hard in consistency
• Lump or mass in the armpit
• A Change in the size or shape of the breast
• Abnormal nipple discharge
• Usually bloody or clear-to-yellow or green fluid
• May look like pus (purulent)
• Change in the colour or feel of the skin of your breast, nipple, or areola (area around the nipple)
  Dimpled, puckered, or scaly
• Retraction, “orange peel” appearance
• Redness
• Accentuated veins on breast surface
• Change in appearance or sensation of the nipple
• Pulled in (retraction), enlargement, or itching
• Breast pain, enlargement, or discomfort on one side only

If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, your doctor will ask for a detailed medical history and you will have to undergo a physical examination. You will also be recommended tests such as a mammogram or other imaging tests, like Ultrasound or MRI. 

Please visit PlacidWay.com to read complete article on Breast Cancer Treatment Abroad

Prevention always better than cure

by Superior A.R.T.

PGD offers a wide range of reproductive options
“Shadow is just an 11-month old boy, but a victim. He has got pneumonia and an enlarged liver and spleen. He was finally diagnosed with thalassemia. A bone marrow transplantation costing over one million baht is the most effective medical treatment to save his life.”

“Marwin is another thalassemia sufferer. He is quiet small and retarded when compared to children of the same age. He has to receive blood transfusion therapy every month to maintain his growth and developement. If not effectively managed, Marwin may die at 15 years of age.”

Thalassemia, an inherited, genetic blood disorder, is a chronic debilitating disease which can be lethal. Patients must struggle through their life in order to fight this severe disease. To live longer, they need constant treatment involving regular blood transfusions as well as regular clinical visits. Repeated blood transfusions can also cause problems of iron overload which can damage many organs such as liver, heart, skin and pancrease. Even more unfortunately, infants with Thalassemia, like shadow, may grow slowly, develop severe problems or die if they don’t receive proper treatment. Although bone marrow transplantations can offer a complete cure for patients with thalassemia major, it is not an easy task. for the best tissue match, bone marrow is donated from a brother or sister.

The dedication of parents to the health of their children is first and foremost as their children grow. In addition to physical health and development, parents always realize that social and psychological health of their children really does count. Sad to say, a life with thalassemia is an absolute nightmare for children and their families.

To tackle the root of the problem, parents who want to have a baby free of disease can take advantage of PCD, an assisted reproductive technology. Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) (also known as Embryo Screening) is a form of genetic diagnosis performed prior to implantation. It is a reasonable choice for couples at risk of transmitting hereditary genetic diseases to their children. PGD allows scientists to choose unaffected embryos and transfer them to a woman undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).

PGD is very powerful and can be beneficial to many couples. It can be applies in many different circumstances to serve the needs of individual couples that are at risk of conceiving genetically abnormal children. Superior A.R.T., one of the leading providers of PGD in Southeast Asia, offers comprehensive PDG option to interested couples.

Superior A.R.T. also offers PGD to couples who have identifiable genetic disorders, including thalassemia, breast cancer and many more. We believe that it would be less upsetting to discard an abnormal embryo before implantation, rather than go through early pregnancy and make the difficult decision whether to continue with an abnormal pregnancy or abort it. In those couples with a complete analysis of their genetic defects, Superior A.R.T. can test for such abnormalities in their embryos in order to prevent those undesirable genetic abnormalities. A search among family members for a bone marrow donor that can provide HLA matching stem cells may enable you to use PGD to bring a child into the world (this topic will be continued in the next article).

Please click here to read more about PGD Reproductive in Thailand

New hope for Pregnancy Success – Superior A.R.T | IVF Clinic Thailand

Becoming a parent is wonderful. However, fulfilling the dream of having a child is something not all of us are fortunate enough to experience. If you have been trying to get pregnant for 12 months, or six months for women over the age of 35, with no success, assisted reproduction techniques and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) might be considered. Superior A.R.T. can help you to complete your family.

A joint venture with Sydney IVF, Australia’s premier provider for infertility. Superior A.R.T is one of the leading infertility and genetic diagnosis centre in Southeast Asia. The centre offers infertile patients several fertility options, with a very personalized approach, from diagnostic assessment and early intervention through high-tech and highly advanced procedures like IVF and IntraCytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) as well as Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), which are IVF for genetic disorders.

Superior A.R.T. has always committed to providing the most effective, the best possible reproductive practice. To this end, the centre combines high-technology, expertise and caring, compassionate services to routinely provide single-embryo transfers to infertile patients. With the most technically advanced laboratory which strictly conforms to the high quality standards of its parent company in Australia, state-of-art medical equipment backed by a team of highly accredited scientists, specialists and professionals who have extensive experience and expertise in the diverse areas of embryo science and successful lab operations, you can be assured that your dreams of having a child will come true.

Superior A.R.T. has established a reputation as one of the best providers as one of the best providers of PGD-PCR in Southeast Asia. The centre offers the PGD diagnostic procedure to patients who plan to or are already scheduled to have an in vitro fertilization procedure. Although the centre was initially developed in early 2007, it has achieved am impressive success rata among patients with PGD pregnancies, representing over 40 percent of its total PGD efforts. The centre take great pride in achieving such a world-class success rate.

Read complete IVF Treatment Abroad article at PlacidWay.com

They help your heart to ‘heal’ itself – National Heart Center Singapore

WHAT HAVE THEY DISCOVERED?

Their research has found that heart-like cells generated from an adult’s own stem cells using the National Heart Centre’s (NHC) patented method, have contributed to increasing the pumping force of the heart.

This is important for a patient with heart failure as the condition causes the heart to pump less forcefully and can lead to breathlessness, fatigue and weakness.

Dr Philip Wong, a senior consultant in the department of cardiology at NHC, and director of its research and development unit, said: ‘We took stem cells from 43 heart failure patients, put them in a petri dish, developed a solution that primes these cells to change into heart-like cells.’

The stem cells were transplanted into rat hearts during the research process.

DID IT WORK?

Their study found that in 100 of these cells, 30 of them will convert into heart-like cells.

Dr Wong: ‘Heart-like cells are better than other stem cells in helping to improve heart function.

‘Once they have converted, they feel at home and they know where to go in the areas of the heart that require them.’

If it were unconverted stem cells, they tend to get distributed all over and they are not effective in helping to improve the heart function, he said.

WHO WILL IT HELP?

Heart failure patients.

Many heart-attack patients suffer irreversible injury to the heart, leading to heart failure and its symptoms.

Dr Wong said there are 500 new heart failure patients in Singapore every year.

‘For patients with severely damaged hearts, whole organ heart transplant is sometimes the only hope, but the challenge lies in finding a donor,’ he said.

‘For many of these patients, doctors use treatments such as stents, ballooning, bypass, but they end up still having heart-failure symptoms.’

Read complete article at PlacidWay.com

Health Tourism Portal Optimizes Offerings for Consumers and Providers

by Laura Ettinger | PlacidWay

PlacidWay, a health & wellness tourism web portal, recently debuted an enhancement to the site that further solidifies its position as a leading authority in the industry. The centuries-old practice of health tourism has recently experienced explosive growth. This has provided an opportunity for a one-stop, interactive, full service site to exist that answers the needs of both health tourists and healthcare facilities. “We are environmental scanners of the industry, and work hard to monitor trends and gather information that can be trusted,” said Pramod Goel, president of PlacidWay. “All you need to make an informed and intelligent decision about health tourism is on the site.”

“Attention to the needs of both sides of the health tourism coin—consumers and healthcare providers—has been a differentiator for PlacidWay from its inception,” says Goel. “With our enhanced site, we can deliver the most comprehensive, unique, customizable and convenient healthcare solutions for our clients.” It is a goal of PlacidWay to be a knowledge repository and to be on the forefront of the trends of the health tourism industry, with resources that other sites don’t have.

PlacidWay’s expanded site makes it even easier for a potential health tourist to define whether they are searching for a medical procedure/treatment or a wellness program. They can then further refine their search by choosing a destination and facility. While on the website, they can also access hotel and airfare rates, as well as specific informative articles about their chosen procedure, facility or specialist. “All of this can be accomplished with a sense of security for the consumer,” says Goel. “They can rest assured that all their physical needs and comforts will be met by our providers, and feel confident from the perspective of knowing that they have the most current, reliable and accurate information on hand.”

PlacidWay is a leading authority in the field of health tourism through its vision, commitment to service and determination to be the most complete resource possible. PlacidWay offers world class healthcare providers in exotic destinations, a formidable knowledge and information base, quick response turnaround and a one-stop interactive approach to booking a health tourism experience. For more information on PlacidWay, go to www.placidway.com.

Bypass That Saved His Life – National Heart Centre Singapore

Five years ago, Indonesian Goenawan Endro started experiencing tightness at his chest area and chest pain. Visits to the doctor in his hometown Surabaya revealed that he had a heart problem. He was prescribed medication, told to stop smoking and was recommended to go for a balloon angioplasty. Mr Goenawan took all but the advice to go for the angioplasty as he felt that his medication was enough for him. He was also apprehensive of the complications that may arise from the procedure. He had since changed doctors three times.

In end 2005, Mr Goenawan’s symptoms took a turn for the worse and he suffered a heart attack. The doctor Mr Goenawan saw after his heart attack suggested that he should go through the angioplasty for his own good. This time round, Mr Goenawan complied. “Dr Irwan is very patient, he is unlike my previous doctors who only instructed me to go for the angioplasty without being able to tell me exactly why I needed to do it. This doctor explained my condition in detail and the need to go for the procedure. After 2 to 3 visits, I was finally convinced to go for the procedure,” said Mr Goenawan.

The angioplasty revealed that Mr Goenawan had very serious blockages in his arteries – total blockage on his left side and 20 to 30% on his right. Given the results, Dr Irwan advised him to go for a Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG). Dr Irwan provided him with the choice of undergoing treatment locally, in Indonesia or in Singapore. He was informed that the National Heart Centre of Singapore (NHC) offered a comprehensive and affordable package that suited his needs. Mr Goenawan finally decided on Singapore after strong recommendations from friends and relatives.

Arrangements were made with a Global Patient Services Officer at the National Heart Centre and the family took a flight over to Singapore. At the National Heart Centre, the cardiothoracic surgeons performed a successful CABG on Mr Goenawan. Post-operation, he was warded for observation for 6 days.

Visibly happy with the success of his operation and positive experience at the National Heart Centre, Mr Goenawan gave two thumbs-up to the staff of the National Heart Centre, “The service quality is very good, we felt welcomed and I was well taken care of. The nurses, especially those in the intensive care unit, were professional and kind. My doctor-in-charge, Dr Sin, was very informative and professional as well. I also did not have much problems communicating with him because he could speak Bahasa Indonesia.”

Click here to read complete story at PlacidWay.com

Upcoming Trends in Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery has enjoyed a long and illustrious history not only in the United States but also around the world. Recently, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons released results surrounding the rising numbers of individuals choosing cosmetic surgical procedures since the year 2000. Everything from breast lifts to Botox to tummy tucks, cosmetic surgical procedures are growing in popularity around the world. Medical tourists are able to enjoy a wide selection of minimally invasive, surgical, and reconstructive cosmetic surgical procedures in the future as trends continue to attract the attention of baby boomers, all socioeconomic demographics and genders both domestically and abroad.

Top Five Cosmetic Surgical Procedures
While techniques and methods used in a variety of cosmetic procedures are continually advancing, 2008 saw a large increase in injectable and noninvasive treatments such as Botox, as well as breast augmentation procedures. Studies have shown that over 10 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures were performed in the year 2005 alone, a nearly 40% increase since the turn of the new century. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the global market now exceeds $30 billion, with a sustainable compound annual growth rate in the range of 25%.

According to recent statistics, the top trends in cosmetic surgery include:

• Breast augmentation
• Breast lift
• Dermabrasion
• Tummy tuck
• Botox treatments
• Laser skin resurfacing

Who Is Having Plastic Surgery?
The trend seems to be showing a desire to minimalize and reduce the effects of aging, and this desire does not seem to be limited to baby boomers. Individuals as young as 25 and 30 years old are engaging in minimally invasive cosmetic procedures such as Botox and laser skin resurfacing as well as dermabrasion.

Read complete story at PlacidWay.com

Milestone disc replacement surgery (4 level) performed for the first time in Asia at Artemis Health Institute

Gurgaon, August 2, 2008: Dr. Harshavardhan Hegde, Consultant and Head, Department of Orthopedics and Spine Surgery at Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon performed a 4 level disc replacement surgery on a 54 year American patient. Dr. Hegde in an 8 hour long surgery replaced two lumbar discs (lower back) and two cervical discs (neck). 

The patient was suffering from disc degeneration for the last 10 years and when he came to know about Dr Harshvardhan Hegde from a patient who had been treated by him earlier. One option was to have a fusion surgery and the other was to have disc replacement surgery which is more complicated but has a faster recovery.  He chose the latter. The patient was walking on the first postoperative day and is hoping to be discharged from the hospital in five days.  The cost for the surgery in India too was a big relief for him. It cost him USD 25,000 US dollars for a 4 level disc replacement at Artemis Health Institute, while in America he was given a budget of around 2,50,000 US dollars. 

Cervical disc replacement is a procedure where an artificial cervical disc is inserted between two cervical vertebrae after an intervertebral disc has been surgically removed in the process of decompressing the spinal cord or/and a nerve root. The intent of the device is to preserve motion at the disc space. It is an alternative to the use of bone grafts, plates and screws in pursuit of a fusion following such a disc removal, which necessarily eliminates motion at the operated disc space in the neck.

Lumbar disc replacement is a procedure where an artificial disc is inserted between two lumbar vertebrae after an intervertebral disc has been surgically removed in the process of decompressing the spinal cord or/and a nerve root. The intent of the device is to preserve motion at the disc space. It is an alternative to the use of bone grafts, plates and screws in pursuit of a fusion following such a disc removal, which necessarily eliminates motion at the operated disc space in the neck.

Read complete article at PlacidWay.com