How To Guide

A cochlear implant is surgically put in the ear to help people who are severely or completely deaf hear.

Hearing is something most people take for granted – it is one of the important senses of the body. However, an adult who is losing hearing capabilities can face many problems. For children, the problem is more acute and it may actually take parents some time to realize that their baby is deaf. Babies learn to speak because they can hear and pick up sounds, so if they cannot hear, they are likely to be mute as well.

A cochlear implant is one of the technological advances in medicine which has been around for more than 20 years now. It can actually help people who are completely deaf hear and works in a different way from a hearing aid. A hearing aid is used by a person who is becoming slowly deaf and serves to amplify the sound so that he or she can hear.

But the… Read More

Teddy L

Teddy L of Kitts Hill, OH had a clavicle fracture. When he went to an orthopedic doctor in the US he did not agree with what the doctor told him. He as told he would have to live with his pain.  He also did not have medical insurance to pay for treatment.

Accordingly he decided to go to Costa Rica for treatment after getting in touch with the doctor and emailing his reports. He was happy with the assessment and the line of treatment. At the Clinica Biblica Hospital in Costa Rica he received personal care and attention. He had the surgery and now had normal use of his arm and his pain free. It cost him a fraction of the cost in the US.

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Val Finch

Val Finch needed a hysterectomy. She decided to go to Costa Rica for the surgery from Florida, where she stayed. She and her husband went to Costa Rica – everything was arranged for them by Medical Journey.

She spent two days at the Clinica Biblica hospital and was very happy with the care she received there from the investigations and the pre-operation procedures to the time she left. They were even able to get in some sight seeing while there.

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Conchetta Procopio

Conchetta Procopio of Gilbert, Arizona, was told she needed a hysterectomy. She did not have medical insurance and it was prohibitively expensive to get it done privately. So she researched her options and homed in on Mexico.

She arranged her trip to MedToGo. She had a successful trip and was happy that even though she could not speak Spanish, The doctor in the hospital could speak English, so she did not have any problem. The surgery cost only one-third of what it would have cost in the US. She… Read More

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Mark

At 45, Mark had a severe weight problem – he weighed 400 pounds and was diabetic as well. He tried all kinds of weight loss programs and diets, with little success. Finally a friend recommended that he should try surgery to lose weight.

He was put off with stomach stapling and gastric by pass procedures which are quite serious, not to mention more expensive. Then he researched all the information on the internet and decided to go to the Dominican Republic for lap band surgery, which less invasive.

He fixed up everything through a facilitating company and went for a medical vacation with his wife. After the surgery he has already lost 70 pounds and his sugar is also under control.

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Karen

Karen at 37 was overweight and quite fed up. Being a doctor who had been struggling with her weight since she was twelve, she knew it was important for her to reduce so that she could talk to her patients about healthy living without feeling foolish about her own weight.

She… Read More

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Merry Farmer

Merry Farmer was having problems with her gall bladder for more than 22 years. She had even been hospitalized once and treated for infection. Even though she had HMO insurance, every time she would go to the doctors, they would say she did not gall stones which warranted removal. Later the insurance also lapsed.

Then she decided to research where else she could have the surgery done. She settled for Mexico. She went to Puerto Vallarta and had the surgery at the Cornerstone Hospital under Dr. Juan Velazquez. She is now pain free.

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Allan Miller

Allan Miller of Seaview, WA, was having severe abdominal pain for two months. Investigations revealed that he needed a cholecystectomy. He did not have medical insurance and so decided to seek treatment abroad.

He explored the options of having the surgery in Belgium, Turkey and India. However, he did not want to take too much time off and travel for too long. So he picked on having gallbladder surgery at Hospital Angeles in Tijuana, Mexico. After two… Read More

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Ken Snowden

Ken Snowden of CA, US, has been competing and coaching in endurance sports. However, his career was badly affected when he was in a bicycle accident which broke his hip. He had it surgically repaired, but it degenerated into advanced osteoarthritis. He suffered for two years and was in pain. His insurance coverage was minimal so he decided to research other options.

He zeroed in on Dr. Vijay Bose at Apollo Hospital in Chennai in India. He had the hip resurfacing surgery very successfully and was without pain in 10 hours. Just two and a half weeks later he was back on his bike. The surgery cost him 20 percent of what it would have back home.

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Steve Berg

Steve Berg of Pioneertown, CA had such severe hip pain that he used to take 16 ibuprofens a day. X-rays revealed that he had severe osteoarthritis. The only long term solution was hip replacement. However, it would cost him $60,000 since he did not have medical insurance.

He found hip resurfacing would also… Read More

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Vicky Bingham

Vicky Bingham, 64, of Sudbourne, UK, was having pain in the knees and was advised knee surgery. However, she found out that she had to wait eight months for the surgery. It would cost £12,000 – £14,000 if she had it done privately.

She did not want to wait as she was in pain; neither did she want to spend so much money. After doing her research she went to the Clinique Sainte Isabelle in Abbeville, France. She was very happy with her experience, the standard of medical care and the hospital. Besides it cost her less than half than in the UK. She says that she will go back when she needs hip surgery.

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Mrs JM

Mrs JM, 70 of Teignmouth, Devon, had difficult walking because of pain in her knees. When she finally got a diagnosis, she was told she required knee replacement surgery, for which there was a waiting list of 10 months. Alternatively, she could spend £10,300 and get it done privately.

She decided to go to Belgium… Read More

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Cheryl Newman

Cheryl Newman, in her fifties, wanted to get breast reduction surgery done. She could qualify for NHS only if the surgeon could remove 500 gm. of fatty tissue from each breast, but that was not possible in her case. Privately done, the surgery would cost between £5,000 and £7,000.

She did a lot of research on the net, not only on the type of surgeries available, but the places as well, where she would like to go. She was considering South Africa, Thailand, India and other countries. Finally somebody told her to consult an expert who would guide her better.

She met Wendy Lewis who is a consultant and was guided by her to go to Barcelona in Spain. She had her reduction surgery at the Instituto Javier de Benito of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery by Dr Javier de Benito. However, she did find that she was expecting a little more redcution and a little less cost – the surgery set her back by €11,000, excluding airfare and accommodation.

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Angela Butterly

Angela… Read More

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Danielle Davis

Danielle Davis, a student from Kent, UK, wanted to have breast augmentation done, but could not afford the rates to get the surgery done. She was recommended Thailand as a medical tourism destination.

She communicated with a plastic surgeon in Phuket and decided to go there. She had the breast augmentation surgery done as well some liposuction from her thighs so that she would look better. The whole thing cost her only £1,400. She spent three nights relaxing before the surgery, spent three nights in the hospital and the nine days more at the retreat.

She had the stitches removed and was happy with the results. She was planning on working as a dancer in Ibiza.

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Laura and Sarah

Laura and Sarah of Perth in Scotland, sister, both wanted to have breast augmentation done. Laura found out that it would cost £6,000 where she lived. The sisters consulted with an adviser who suggested Tunisia for the surgeries.

Both sisters went to Tunisia for the augmentation procedures and it cost them £2,200. They… Read More

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Aaron Clark

Aaron Clark of south Texas wanted to have his vision corrected. As it a cosmetic procedure, medical insurance does not cover it. So he decided to go to Monterrey in Mexico for his lasik eye surgery.

He went to the eye care clinic at Hospital San Jose and had the surgery done by Dr. Jesus Vidaurri. He was happy with the care and treatment he got. He went with his mother and sister who had other cosmetic procedures done. Prices are 60 percent lower than in the States.

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Adrienne

Adrienne had a vision of minus 6.5 along with astigmatism. She decided to have lasik surgery done in Bucaramanga in Colombia by Dr. Virgillio Galvis. Soon after the surgery, though she could see, her vision was somewhat blurred.

The blurriness was gone the following day and she was happy with her surgery. The cost of the surgery which is less than $1,500 includes follow up visits and further surgery if required after a few months. She was told not to wear contact lenses… Read More

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Harry Bell

Harry Bell was an active sportsman from Liverpool till his back laid him low. He gave up sports and opened a retail outlet and found it difficult to sit and stand for more than two hours at a time. When he went to local doctors he was told that his symptoms were not bad enough for surgery.

He checked out for surgery abroad and found the price in Spain (£12,000) expensive the price in Mumbai (£7,000) affordable, but the distance too much. He finally zeroed in on the Dubrovnik Hospital in Croatia where Israeli doctors conducted the surgeries. The minimally invasive surgery meant that and two of his vertebrae that were out alignment were secured by four screws and two dynamic rods.

Harry went back home, fit and find and now aims to be on the veterans’ professional golf tour by the time he is fifty.

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Christine Hilton

Christine Hilton actually broke her back 27years ago and had to have lumbar spinal fusion at that time. While she led a normal life… Read More

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Jeff Clarke

Jeff Clarke, 37, of Canada was suffering from severe chronic back pain and he did not know what to do. He waited for three years for doctors to help him out, but to no avail. Finally, He saw a television advertisement offering surgery abroad at affordable rates.

He opted to go to Apollo Hospital in Chennai, India. Investigations showed that he had two damaged discs. He underwent surgery to correct the problem. A week later he was feeling much better and said that while earlier he was always bent over with pain in the back, now he is straight up.

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Ronald

Ronald from Toronto, Canada, suffered from low back ache which became chronic. It was due to disc degeneration. Being an otherwise active person with a keen interest in golf, he was upset. He went to doctors who advised him that he needed artificial disc replacement.

However, the cost put him off. He surfed the net and came across a site in India, which offered the surgery at a fraction of the… Read More

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Marsol G

Marsol G of San Francisco wanted to look better and explored cosmetic surgery options in the US, but found them too expensive and unaffordable. She then checked the internet and finally zeroed on in a doctor in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She wanted quite a few cosmetic procedures done.

When she spoke to the doctor, she was happy with her decision and had all her pre-operative tests in the US. When she went to Argentina she had a mini tummy tuck, liposuction on her waist, abs, and hips. She also had eyelid surgery and a little fat removed from under the chin as also a mini lateral face lift.

Marsol opted for a single accommodation and was also given a pick up from the airport, the services of a personal assistant cum interpreter and a cell phone. She spent two weeks in Argentina and then went back. It took nine months for her to heal completely.

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James Brandon

James Brandon, 44, of Toronto, Canada, wanted to get some cosmetic procedures done to look… Read More

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Kevin Stewart

Kevin Stewart of Florida experienced liver failure. Every two weeks he had to go to hospital to get drained of accumulated fluids which his liver could not process. His doctor told him that without a liver transplant he would not survive. He had no health insurance and was told that it would cost him $350,000 and that also if he could get a liver in time.

He checked up on the internet and zeroed in on a transplant in India. Fortunately his sister agreed to donate a liver lobe for the transplant. He had the surgery done at Apollo Hospital in New Delhi, India. The cost was only $55,000. Back home, Kevin is fine and happy with the care he got.

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Rene Luiz Godinez

Rene Luis Godinez of Philippines used to go to Hawaii for a summer vacation as also some business. His wife noticed that his eyes were looking yellow and initially though it was jaundice. At the Maui Memorial Hospital he learnt that he was suffering from liver failure due… Read More

Howard Stabb

Howard Stabb, a 53 year old self-employed contractor who had no medical insurance, found that he had a leaking mitral valve during a routine physical exam. Living in North Carolina, Stabb went to the Durham Regional Hospital where he learnt that the surgery would cost him $200,000. His partner, Maggi Grace and he knew they could not afford it.

Though Grace tried to bargain with the hospital, she was not successful in bringing down the cost. Stabb was ineligible for insurance because his problem was already diagnosed and he earned more money than required to qualify for state medical assistance.

They researched their options for this life saving surgery. Grace’s son, who had worked as a medical student in India, recommended the Escorts Heart Hospital in New Delhi. Dr. Naresh Trehan did the surgery in two part: one day the repair and another day the replacement. Almost a month after arriving, Howard was back home and later back at work. The whole thing cost them $10,000.

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Bob Gallagher

Bob Gallagher of UK needed cardiac ablation.… Read More

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Matthew Babiarz

First Lieutenant Matthew Babiarz, 24, was struck in the leg by a grenade while on patrol in Baghdad on June 11, 2007. ‘The first thing I noticed was that my leg was numb and that I couldn’t move my toes,’ recalls Babiarz.

For the first six months after returning to the U.S., none of Babiarz’s doctors could figure out how to combat the severe nerve damage his leg endured. Finally, Babiarz’s father located Ziv Peled, MD, a San Francisco-based plastic surgeon who was able to help Mathew, performing successful surgery on his damaged leg in January 2008. A Fresno, CA native currently living in Ft. Riley, KS, Matthew is scheduled for a second surgery to increase the functionality to his leg.

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Robert Bartlett

Robert Bartlett, 32,  a Calvary Scout Sniper in the 3rd Infantry Division, 164 Armor, was injured by an IED (incendiary explosive device) while driving in Iraq. Despite severe facial trauma, a closed head injury, severe lung injury, and burns and fractures of both hands, Robert was able to drive… Read More

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Natalie Kita

Natalie Kita decided when she was only nine years old that she wanted to have a nose job. When she told her mother, her mother said it would probably settle down. At 18 she decided she could not wait any longer.

She had the rhinoplasty done and woke up feeling very nauseous and even vomited blood. She was on powerful pain medications and took more than week to look at herself in the mirror. She could see that her nose looked much better.

According to her, plastic surgery changes your looks but not your life. However, her confidence increased and she found that people around her reacted more positively to her. Now 37, she says, ‘I can honestly say that I have never regretted trading in my old nose for a smaller, more refined version.’

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Lowri Ryland

Lowri Ryland of Bedwas, Caerphilly had always hated her nose and her profile since she was 12. According to her, it was too big, was a bit off-centre and had a big bump on it.… Read More

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Bethany Lee

Bethany Lee had very many creases around her eyes and was unhappy with her appearance. She had eye correction cosmetic surgery under local anesthesia. The surgery took one and a half hours and she went home wearing dark glasses. Within a week the swelling was gone and she looked much better.

She was so pleased with the results that she opted for a full face lift next. The surgery took four hours and was done under general anesthesia. After she recovered, she said, ‘I looked better, felt better and started to look after myself more. It gave me the incentive to start exercising again.’

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Jerri

Jerri went in for body contouring after massive weight loss (312 pounds) as she had a lot of loose skin hanging. She had gastric bypass surgery to lose weight and the surgeon later recommended she undergo cosmetic procedures to remove the excess skin.

First she had surgery to remove excess hanging skin from her thighs. The second surgery was a lower body lift. The doctor removed thirty… Read More

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Terri

Terri had been suffering from regular headaches along with breating difficulties and the headaches would often turn in debilitating migraines. She had a deviated septum and sinus problems. Her allergist found out that she could only use 10 percent of her nose’s capacity. Her nose also leaned to one side.

She went to the plastic surgeon her mother had used and he advised investigations. These revealed that she had fractured her nose when young, had problems with her cartilage and crooked turbinates as also sinus problems.

As she had medical problems, her insurance covered the costs. She had rhinoplasty and septoplasty surgeries. She had the surgeries which took two hours under general anesthesia. She had to sleep on a recliner for four nights, but could walk around and do simple tasks almost immediately.

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Arman

Arman is 21 and had never been happy with the shape of her nose. She always thought she should have it fixed. Finally she asked her doctor to refer to a good plastic surgeon. She went for an appointment.… Read More

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Betty Ann

Betty Ann had vision problems and found she could see less and less even with her glasses on. When she went in to get a new prescription she was diagnosed with cataracts. She had surgery and had multifocal lenses implanted.

‘I never expected to be able to see everything like I do. Without glasses. I don’t even have any… They’re just like new eyes, she says of her experience. The day after the second surgery, she removed the eye patch and drove herself to the doctor, thrilled that she could see so well.

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Brenda Alworth

Brenda Alworth, 71, from St Albans, had her first cataract operation four years ago and her second one earlier this year. Gradually her vision worsened and when she finally went to the optician she was told she had cataract in her right eye which ought to be removed while the left one could be left alone for some time.

Of her second surgery she says,’It was very quick. I was only in the theatre for 15 minutes… Read More