Organ transplantation in Korea: Living donor Kidney / Liver transplants in South Korea
Organ transplantation is a medical treatment to solve end-stage organ collapse placing a healthy organ. A living person or a deceased donor donates the organ, instead of the affected one.
Organ transplantation is considered the last resource for those suffering from irreversible organ failures. The results can be lifesaving.
Why is South Korea a leader in living donor transplantation?
Important to notice: The number of liver transplants from a living donor in South Korea per 1 million people is the highest in the world (13.64 per 1 million). This is due to cultural traditions and obligations in between families. Thus, Korean doctors have developed great skills and expertise in this kind of medical procedures.
Additionally, the top 5 hospitals in the nation have committed to enrich the research behind transplantations and help professors develop innovative techniques using cutting-edge technology through academic and scientific programs.
How does South Korea compare to China and India in relation to transplantation surgeries?
In South Korea prices can be higher than in China and India for organ transplantation. For example, a living donor liver transplantation that includes the two surgeries and hospitalization can cost around 220,000,000 Korean Won ($200,000 USD depending on the exchange rate) for foreign patients. This price is usually more than in China or India, as the nation has a far bigger GDP per capita and living conditions are substantially higher than these other two countries. Plus, the sanitarian control and doctors’ expertise in Korea have a higher level than in other countries around the region.
Which hospitals are the best for organ transplantation in South Korea?
Especially relevant, Samsung Medical Center is a leading medical institution in organ transplantation. The organ transplantation department counts with a team of surgeons and specialists. It is responsible for a high majority of the total organs transplantations surgeries performed inside Korea during the last decade.
Other medical institutions are: