correspondence with hospital

Raymond and Caress have made initial coordination with the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan last October thru email. The hospital gave the following summary of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in Chang Gung:

1. Total cost that the hospital requires wire-transferred before the patient arrives in Taiwan: NT$ 1.5 million (NT$ 1 = Phil Peso 1.5); that's roughly about Phil. Peso 2 million (depending on current exchange rate). This amount includes both recipient and donor operations. This amount covers operations,
hospitalization (3-in-a-room + ICU), medications, and diagnostic tests. This amount is for uncomplicated cases. If this cost is not consumed, all unused money will be refunded. This amount excludes all travel and living expenses while your family is in Taiwan.

2. The family will stay in Taiwan for around 3 months. There may be a hostel (semi-furnished with kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom, telephone, cable TV, refrigerator, hot and cold water) available within the hospital compound. Rent is around NT$ 770/day or NT$20,000/month. Payment for the hostel is not included in the NT$ 1.5 million.

3. Recipient will stay in ICU after the transplant for 2-3 weeks, 2-3 weeks in the ward, then 1 month in the house. The donor can go back to Philippines after 1 month.

4. Donor and Recipient must have same blood type or ABO compatible. Donor must be negative for HBV or HCV. Donor must be within 5th degree of consanguinity with the recipient or the recipient's spouse. Donor must be at least above 20 years of age

oOo

The following tests on Wacky and his father Raymond (as candidate door) need to be submitted for further assessment of the hospital with Wacky’s case:
1. Hepatitis profile: HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc, anti-HCV
2. Blood chem
    a. For Wacky: CBC, Albumin, AST, ALT, total and direct bilirubin, creatinine, INR/protime, AFP
    b. For Raymond: Albumin, AST, ALT, Total bil, creatinine, INR/protime, AFP
3. Liver ultrasound
4. Liver CT Angiogram

The hospital suggested that Wacky and Raymond go to Dr. Gregorio of Philippines General Hospital for preliminary tests. She will guide them to the relevant examination. They can do first the blood typing and hepatitis profile to screen both recipient and donor before going into the more expensive laboratory and diagnostics. Screening from the Philippines is necessary since if they go directly to Taiwan and if either recipient or donor is found to be unsuitable, it’s a waste of money (travel, laboratory, etc).