The procedure involves removing the tail-end of the pancreas, to treat diseases like cancer, preventing further spread.
The procedure involves surgically removing pancreatic lumps, preserving organ function, and offering quicker recovery.
The procedure removes malignant cells, aiming to alleviate symptoms, improve life quality, and increase survival rates.
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Each case is individual, recovery times may vary based on individual health conditions and the complexity of the surgery.
Whipple surgery | from $40000 | from $19000 | - |
The total cost is calculated individually. It may range depending on your medical issue, doctor's qualification, procedure complexity and related complications (if they occur). You’ll get the exact price for a plastic surgery procedure after a consultation with a doctor. |
Below are listed best Whipple procedure hospitals. The rating is based on patients’ reviews and Bookimed Medical Doctors’ expert assessment. Whipple operation (or pancreatoduodenectomy) is applied to treat pancreatic cancer localized in the head of the pancreas. During the operation, surgeons also remove a part of the stomach, a segment of the small intestine, the gallbladder, and common bile duct.
Pancreatic surgery Whipple procedure is considered complex. It takes 5-12 hours to complete the operation. In most cases, Whipple surgery is lifesaving for patients with pancreatic cancer, extending their life expectancy. Successful operation ensures remission of pancreatic cancer, improving life expectancy.
Ewha Woman's University Medical Center (EUMC) is a multidisciplinary hospital for women only. It's located in Seoul, South Korea.
The treatment of breast, thyroid, urogenital cancers, and joint replacement — are the clinic's top specialties.
Ewha doctors focus on the aesthetic results of the procedures. They perform minimally invasive operations through small incisions so that a woman does not get visible scars.
Patients from Europe, Russia, China, and the United Arab Emirates choose Ewha Medical Center every year.
Samsung Medical Center is a prominent multidisciplinary hospital in South Korea that has repetitively received many awards in customer satisfaction and services quality. It has a special status of “Hospital of presidential standards”. A part of Samsung Medical Complex, Comprehensive Cancer Center provides the most thorough treatment for cancer patients using state-of-the-art equipment: Novalis, IGRT (image-guided radiation therapy), Da Vinci surgical system, etc.
At Severance Hospital physicians carry out Whipple surgery in the Oncology Department. The operation is considered complex and lasts for 6-12 hours, depending on patient’s peculiarities. A team of surgeons operates on a patient who is under general anesthesia. A patient is transferred to the Intensive Care Unit after the procedure.
In-hospital stay after Whipple surgery rarely exceeds 2-week period. Patients may return to work within 4-6 weeks after the operation. Complete rehabilitation takes up to 3 months.
Asan Hospital (Asan Medical Center) is the largest multidisciplinary medical center in South Korea, which can serve 2,700 patients at once.
The key specialties in the hospital are organ transplant, oncology, cardiology, and cardiac surgery. Almost half of all heart transplants in South Korea are carried out (45%) at Asan. The success of organ transplants ranges from 90%.
Every day, 11,800 outpatients and 2,550 inpatients are treated in Asan Hospital. Medical tourists from the USA, China, the UAE, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia choose Asan Hospital.
St. Mary’s Hospital Seoul is a large multidisciplinary medical center in South Korea. The main specialties are oncology, hematology, organ transplant, cardiovascular surgery, and check-up. The hospital was the first in South Korea for liver, small bowel and cornea transplants. St. Mary’s Hospital in Korea is ranked the 5th in the world for successful bone marrow transplants.
30,000 international patients get treatment annually here.
Seoul National University Bundang Hospital is one of the most innovative multidisciplinary medical centers in Korea.
It is the 1st digital hospital in the country. The hospital is equipped witg BESTcare system that allows avoiding medical errors, improving treatment safety and effectiveness.
Bundang specializes in general and abdominal surgery, oncology, orthopedics and traumatology. 1,500,000 patients undergo treatment at in hospital every year.
Korea University Anam Hospital has world-class robotic surgery skills, especially in cancer surgery. It has developed the world's first robotic oral thyroid cancer surgery method that removes tumor without visible scars by inserting a surgical robot arm into the patient's mouth.
In addition, not only the bladder cancer pre-stage robotic surgery was the first and most successful in Asia, but also the first robotic breast reconstruction surgery in Korea reduces the size of the scar by one-tenth. On top of that, bloodless or minimal blood transfusions are applied to reduce the risk of infection and speed up postoperative recovery. Patients from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia go here for treatment.
Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) is the leading multidisciplinary state facility in the capital of South Korea. The President of the country receives treatment here.
Since 2004, SNUH has been digitalized completely — all data about patients is stored in the electronic system.
The hospital shows the highest statistics for cancer treatment in South Korea. Other SNUH key specialties are neurosurgery, cardiovascular surgery, pediatrics, and organ transplant.
Seoul University Hospital serves 10,700 patients every day on average.
The following conditions must be met for a patient to become eligible for the procedure:
Determining if a patient is eligible for the operation is a challenging task. Only the most advanced imaging techniques and best Whipple surgeons may provide an entirely accurate diagnosis. It is advisable to receive the second opinion on patient’s case with uncertain eligibility.
Whipple operation is the only surgical method to treat tumor of the pancreas. The procedure is mainly performed in combination with chemo- and radiotherapeutic exposure. Besides cancer of pancreas, Whipple procedure is prescribed to patients with the following diagnoses:
There are following contraindications to the procedure:
Whipple surgery can be done in 2 ways:
The procedures are performed in best hospitals for Whipple surgery by top Whipple surgeons.
Preoperative preparation for Whipple surgery
A patient is connected to intravenous line that supplies medicine and nutrition during the operation. An epidural catheter or spinal injection is administered. Medications delivered in that way block nerves in the abdominal area. This is done in order to prevent severe pain syndromes during recovery.
Surgery process
The invasion is performed by a team of physicians: top surgeons for Whipple procedure, nurses, and anesthesiologists. The surgery takes up to 12 hours to complete. A patient stays under general anesthesia the whole time. An operation starts when an incision is made in patient’s abdomen. After all affected organs are removed, a surgeon reconnects remaining intestines and pancreas to restore the functioning of digestive system.
After the surgery
In most cases, patients are placed in the general surgical unit after the operation. Patient’s vitals are monitored periodically to exclude complications and infections. The diet will be scheduled and advanced slowly, to restore the functions of the digestive system. Recovery time after the pancreaticoduodenectomy Whipple procedure takes up to 2 weeks.
If a patient’s condition is severe or there are complications during the surgery, a patient is rushed to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Nutrition and medications are delivered intravenously and patient’s vitals are constantly monitored. Catheters are used to drain urine and various fluids from the surgery area. Whipple surgery cost may increase due to the use of additional medications.
Before and after WHipple surgery
Patients are prescribed personal diet by a nutritionist. Rehabilitation lasts for 4-6 weeks on average. In most cases, additional care is not required after a patient is dismissed from a hospital. If patient’s state is concerning, they may be required to stay near the hospital to undergo check-ups. For some patients, it is advisable to rehabilitate in specialized facilities.
Outlook
Life expectancy for patients who underwent Whipple surgery depends on the particular case. On average, patients lead relatively fulfilling life post operation.
To counter some long lasting side effects, patients may be required to:
Submit a request on Bookimed website and our Medical Doctor will contact you on the shortest notice. The Doctor will provide you with any required information regarding the surgery, including the cost of Whipple procedure in your particular case. Bookimed will make sure that a patient will be operated by best surgeons for Whipple procedure. Our team will assist you in arranging the trip abroad. We take on paperwork procession and transfer organization.
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Doctor Yesim Yildirim is an oncologist certified by the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO). Affiliated with numerous hospitals in the United States and Turkey, including the University of Maryland Medical Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital and Memorial Sisli Hospital. She has over 20 years of experience and has a special interest in preventive medicine, diabetes, and hypertension. Holds an MBA in Healthcare Management and shares her expertise with Bookimed from 2022.
The Medical Advisory Board expert is a verified credible medical professional with solid theoretical background and practical experience in the field. The expert provides support related to medical content accuracy for medical writers and performs educational workshops to Bookimed coordinators serving patient requests.
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