The prospects of promoting Cebu as a medical tourism destination showed much promise in yesterday’s “Medical & Dental/Health & Wellness Forum”which highlighted the city’s has advances in medical care.

Cebu hospitals offer advanced technology in performing Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) or laparoscopic surgery, laser eye surgery, dermatology and cosmetic surgery, dental implants and cosmetic dentistry as well as a hospital base drug, detoxification and rehabilitation center.

They also charge a lesser fee for these operations than other countries.

Laparoscopic surgery, according to Dr. Henry Chua, is the performance of surgical procedures through small incisions with the assistance of a video camera and special thin instruments.

Chua said that Laparoscopic surgery may cost a patient more at the start than the conventional open surgery but it’s more cost effective.

Laparoscopic surgery uses smaller incisions which mean faster recovery for patients, less time spent at the hospital and less risk of infection.

Most hospitals in Cebu City are capable of doing laparoscopic surgery.

Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital (CDUH) has a laparoscopic surgery department, which ranks third in the country next to Makati Medical Center and St. Luke’s Hospital.

CDUH is also at the forefront of laser eye surgery with its Centre for Sight where LASIK or the Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis which provides patients with a 20/20 vision and advanced cataract surgery is also done in the center.

Dr. Potenciano “Yong” Larrazabal III, said the center is equipped with instruments that hospitals abroad used, however, services are offered at a much lesser fee making it easy to attract foreign patients.

Laser eye surgery could be offered here for less than $1,000 for both eyes, while abroad, it would cost about $2,500 for each eye.

So far, 25 percent of the center’s patients are Europeans, 15 percent are Australian, five percent are Americans and another five percent are Asians.http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/enterprise/view/20091106-234584/Medical-tourism-prospects-bright