Even though there have been dramatic advances in modern medicine, many countries still do not have the necessary equipment for the diagnostics and treatment of spinal diseases. This is certainly a concern if you need to seek treatment when traveling outside the United States, so it is important to know what foreign hospitals are equipped with state-of-the-art tools.
Cost of treatment will depend on the medical methods and equipment used. The average cost for malignant tumor removal is about €8,500 (around $10,000), while intervertebral hernia surgery costs start at €3,000 (around $3,600).
When Is Surgical Treatment Necessary?
Many physicians today prefer using nonsurgical treatments for spinal diseases. However, when those methods will not solve the issue, then a surgical treatment is performed. With a successful spinal surgery, it is possible to achieve a lasting result that will significantly improve the quality of life. The list of conditions for which doctors have offered spinal surgery includes:
- Spinal injuries
- Tumors of the spine
- Herniated discs
- Stenosis of the spinal canal
- Degenerative processes of the spine
If you have one of these conditions — and decide to travel abroad — you may end up in an unfamiliar hospital. The good news is that most patients who undergo spinal surgery notice a significant improvement in their well-being within the first week.
Modern Approaches To Spinal Treatments
Thanks to surgeons having extensive experience with modern medical treatment methods, many hospitals can achieve outstanding results with the treatment of spinal diseases. New techniques in spinal surgery not only eliminate pain — but also allow for complete restoration of the spinal function. Thanks to the use of minimally invasive treatment procedures, patients rarely have any complications.
For the treatment of herniated lumbar or cervical discs, modern intervertebral disc prostheses are used — instead of the traditional vertebral fusion, known as “spondylodesis.” Thus, with spinal disc prosthetics, patients have better spine mobility than after the spinal fusion surgery.
If a patient is diagnosed with spinal canal stenosis, modern minimally invasive surgical approaches are used. With newer approaches, patients don’t have to go through a long rehabilitation, and symptoms go away in the days after the surgery.
Best Hospitals For Spinal Surgery
We all know how important the choice of a hospital is when seeking treatment. Even if you are traveling and require immediate medical attention, you would, of course, want to undergo treatment in one of the most modern hospitals in the world. This list of the best hospitals for spinal surgery has been compiled based on their success rates, their number of experienced surgeons, and their availability of modern equipment:
- Hospital Neuwerk Moenchengladbach (Moenchengladbach, Germany)
- Catholic Clinic Koblenz-Montabaur (Koblenz, Germany)
- University Hospital Charite Berlin (Berlin, Germany)
- Beta Klinik Bonn (Bonn, Germany)
- University Hospital Freiburg (Freiburg, Germany)
With each of them, medical care of the highest level is provided. Keep in mind that the cost of spinal surgery can vary from hospital to hospital, due to different pricing policies and treatment options.
Getting Treatment During The Pandemic
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries have restrictions for the entrance of foreign patients. For this reason, many people with spinal pathologies cannot get treatment from the hospital of their choice.
A useful resource for those traveling to different countries during the pandemic is the medical tourism operator Booking Health. Thanks to the work of their professionals, you will get not only medical treatment in a foreign hospital during the pandemic, but you will also receive assistance in preparing the necessary documents you need to receive the medical treatment that you need while traveling.
Booking Health also offers assistance with accommodations, personal interpreters, and all the services you could possibly need during your medical treatment. Due to their relationships with hospitals, particularly for spinal surgery, you can expect your cost to be 40% lower than if you tried to arrange your surgery yourself.
Huge medical bills for an unexpected medical treatment while traveling is a thing of the past — as long as you are aware of the resources — like Booking Health — that are available.
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