Kawasaki Syndrome Treatment in Hospitals in South Korea

My son is 2 years old, he underwent a very complex operation to close an atrial septal defect (10mm). The operation was performed using an endovascular method. We are so happy that we had this operation at Samsung. It was important for us that the operation was not open-heart surgery. I searched for a long time for information, experience, consequences, and dreamed that we could have the operation done this way. In Kazakhstan, such closures are not performed on children weighing less than 15 kg. Many parents take their children to Russia, Germany, South Korea, Israel. By a happy coincidence, we ended up at Samsung, where I met the mother of a baby who was there with the same problem.

I am ready to kiss the hands of surgeon Kang Yi Seok, the entire pediatric department, and the department for working with Russian-speaking patients, Sonia, Lisa, and Mr. Choo. They all contributed to my son's recovery. A fragile girl named Sonia met us at the airport and then accompanied us to examinations, supported me morally during the operation, and became almost like family to me.

About a month has passed since the operation, I look at my son's leg, the site of the operation, but I don't see anything there. No bruise, no scar. If I hadn't seen his leg right after the operation, one might think he never had a puncture. My God, is this really what modern high-tech is?

I want to note the high professionalism of the nurses, how quickly and painlessly they install catheters, draw blood, how they change the adhesive tape on these catheters, wipe the puncture site with special wipes, and massage to prevent stiffness! They find an approach to every child. Everything is so organized and computerized. Each child in the department wears a bracelet on their arm containing all information about the child and the prescribed treatment. When you come for an examination, everyone already knows what examination to do. During the examination, the child watches cartoons. After examinations, we walk in the garden in a special children's stroller with a stand holding various blinking sensors and IV drips.

There are several restaurants, a grocery store, a small household goods store, a bank, a pharmacy, and even souvenir shops on the clinic grounds - it's like a city within a city. I want to tell all parents whose children face heart surgery that the main thing is to find a good clinic, trust the surgeon, and get the best treatment.

My daughter needed treatment in Korea.

Nine days after birth, she was transferred to intensive care. Since the doctors couldn't make a diagnosis, my husband and I decided to seek help from Korean doctors. We chose South Korea because we had heard many good things about medicine in this country. It also mattered that it's close to Vladivostok, and the flight takes only 2 hours.

At "Severance", the diagnosis - a heart defect - was made within 3 hours, and the operation was performed the very next day. On the 3rd day, my daughter was transferred from intensive care to a regular ward. Then we spent 20 days recovering and undergoing examinations.

At every stage, they explained in detail what the doctors were doing and why, always making sure we understood correctly. Before discharge, they also gave us test results on a disc (no papers that are easy to lose or mix up!), a treatment plan, and medication for six months. 

It's scary to think what could have happened if we hadn't turned to "Severance" for treatment for our little girl in time. I am grateful to everyone who was with us during this difficult time!

I have been to "Severance" twice and was extremely satisfied both times.

The first time I went alone, the second time with my daughter. It's great that all examinations (basic and additional) were completed on the very first day. When I went with my child, we even had time to see Seoul together and visit the zoo.

"Severance" is one of the most famous and largest clinics in Korea, a real medical city. It houses not only hospital departments but also shops and cafes, and there are places to stay during treatment.

My son needed examination and treatment in Korea.

The impressions are simply incredible! An amazing, very high-tech clinic that works like a well-oiled machine. In a couple of days, we underwent examinations and received results, treatment began immediately. My son got better right before our eyes! And not least thanks to the Korean medicines: in Russia, he was prescribed the same drugs, but they didn't help.