EN
The doctors at St. Mary's have excelled in oncology, haematology, gastroenterology, neurology and neurosurgery, cardiology and cardiac surgery, urology, gynaecology, paediatrics and other areas. The best doctors in Korea who specialise in transplantation of internal organs, bone marrow and stem cells work here.
- Medical tourism
- Clinics
- Korea
- Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital at Kwandong Catholic University
Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital at Kwandong Catholic University
Korea, Seoul
Clinic Review
“We implement personalised treatment by treating each patient with heart and soul.”
Yoon Seung-gyu, Director of Seoul St Mary's Hospital of Catholic University in South Korea.
St. Mary's Hospital of Kwandong Catholic University is an international medical centre located in Seoul. The clinic began construction in 1977, and as early as 2000 it was ranked No. 1 in the National Customer Satisfaction Index (NCIS) among university hospitals.
Today, it is ranked among the top eight medical centres in South Korea and is considered one of the strongest and most technically advanced. St Mary's Hospital has received Global Health and Travel Awards for excellence in the fields of oncology, gastroenterology, neurology, cardiology, and women's diseases. The hospital is also JCI, ISO and AAHRPP certified, which guarantees the highest level of service quality, application of modern technologies and strict adherence to international standards in the provision of medical services.
Some of the outstanding achievements of St Mary's Hospital:
St. Mary's Hospital has been awarded the distinction of excellence for high efficiency in the diagnosis and treatment of acute stroke and has been certified as a Reperfusion Therapy and Counselling Centre by the Korean Stroke Association.
The Organ Transplant Centre has received a major award from the Ministry of Health of South Korea for 3 consecutive years. Kidney, cornea, small intestine and allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation were successfully performed in the hospital for the first time in Korea.
St Mary's Hospital has received the "Most Trusted Consumer Brand Main Award" for 4 consecutive years.
The clinic is equipped with modern endoscopic equipment, which significantly increases the efficiency of patient examination and the accuracy of diagnosis. This is evidenced by the certificate of the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the Korean Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Research Foundation. For example, the Olympus endoscope used at St Mary's is considered one of the most accurate.
One of the hospital's latest advances is a cerebral amyloid study using a PET scanner. This method can diagnose Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia at an early stage.
The International Cardiovascular Centre has a hybrid operating system that allows several procedures to be performed simultaneously in a single operation for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
The clinic specialises in the treatment of a rare Behçet's disease. It is characterised by recurrent inflammatory processes that most often affect the skin, mucous membranes of the mouth and genitals, eyes, and also affects the joints, central nervous system, blood vessels, digestive system and other organs. Treatment is carried out by Professor Ban Dong Sik, who is considered one of the best in the field of therapy of systemic vasculitis.
The clinic is equipped with the latest technology. Patients have access to Somatom Definition Flash CT, Biograph mCT20 PET-CT, a powerful MRI machine, VMAT (Volume Modulated Irradiation Therapy), CyberKnife, GammaKnife, the latest generation DaVinci robotic surgical system, stem cell transplant equipment, etc.
The hospital employs 4,000 people. The surgeons at St Mary's perform up to 200 different operations every day, allowing them to gain experience in all kinds of procedures. The hospital has treated more than 1,7 million outpatients and 440,000 inpatients, performed about 34,000 surgical procedures, including about 7,000 bone marrow transplants, 5,500 cornea transplants, 1,000 transcatheter aortic valve implantations using the TAVI method, and 8,000 operations using the da Vinci surgical robot.
Infrastructure of St Mary's Hospital
St Mary's Hospital is a multifunctional medical facility with a developed infrastructure providing a full range of medical services and comfort for patients and visitors.
The main elements of the hospital infrastructure:
The hospital building has 22 ground floors and 6 basement floors. There are 24 professional treatment centres and 45 clinical departments with 1,374 beds, including 110 beds in the intensive care unit.
A special centre is provided to cater to international patients. There is a team of qualified coordinators and interpreters who help medical tourists orientate themselves in an unfamiliar environment, provide translation services, coordinate the time and place of procedures and consultations, etc.
The hospital is equipped with modern operating theatres where interventional procedures, minimally invasive and open surgical operations are performed.
Intensive care units and a hospice ward are equipped to provide specialised medical care to patients in critical condition and patients in need of palliative care.
The Transplantation Centre provides organ transplants using modern technologies that ensure a high level of safety.
The Emergency Medical Centre provides fast and qualified medical care in case of emergencies.
The hospital has a laboratory equipped with modern technology and a pharmacy.
The hospital has a department specialising in Korean traditional medicine, offering alternative therapies.
Patient and visitor services
St Mary's Hospital provides a wide range of services for patients and visitors to ensure a comfortable and quality stay at the facility.
A pick-up and transfer service from the airport to the hospital is available for the convenience of international patients. Car hire is also available.
The facility is provided to get doctor's consultations remotely through the Internet for patients who are comfortable with it.
Patients and visitors are provided with free internet access throughout the hospital.
Each room is equipped with a telephone, TV, comfortable furniture and everything necessary for a comfortable stay. The clinic has specially equipped rooms for patients with disabilities.
It is possible to stay in private rooms with greater levels of privacy and comfort.
Chaperones may stay with patients.
There is a church, mosque and other religious facilities on the hospital grounds for prayer and spiritual fellowship.
Babysitting services are available for patients with children, and there is also a school for seriously ill children.
The hospital has a restaurant and café offering a wide range of dishes from different cuisines.
For patients who speak another language, interpreter services are available to ensure effective communication with the medical staff.
The clinic's car park has 1,498 spaces.
Features of the Clinic
Diagnosis at St Mary's Hospital
St Mary's uses the latest models of imaging equipment for diagnosis, providing accurate and reliable results.
In 2023, the radiology department of the clinic completely replaced outdated equipment with the latest models. Here you can undergo diagnostics on 3 Tesla MRI and 1.5 Tesla MRI units, a multi-detector CT unit, digital angiography equipment, digital mammography equipment, digital fluoroscopy equipment, colour ultrasound equipment, digital radiography equipment, etc.
Apart from imaging diagnostics, there are 2 major departments - Pathology Diagnostics and Laboratory Diagnostics. The Pathology department conducts various investigations like histopathology, cytopathology, immunopathology, molecular pathology, micropathology including electron microscopy. These investigations help in establishing an accurate diagnosis, determining the cause of the disease and prescribing the best treatment. The department also conducts emergency analyses of patient's tissues during surgery.
The laboratory diagnostics department carries out a wide range of all kinds of tests, which allow not only to make the correct diagnosis but also to determine further treatment tactics and monitor the effectiveness of therapy. Patients undergo general chemical analysis, immunological tests, molecular genetic studies, as well as cytogenetic analyses. Specialists of the department use advanced methods and state-of-the-art devices to obtain accurate results.
Check-Up at St Mary's Clinic
St. Mary's Clinic has a Health Promotion Centre. Here, patients can undergo a comprehensive Check-Up examination in various areas. All the necessary examinations are carried out within the same department in the shortest possible time.
The clinic provides several packages of Check-Up examinations that take into account many factors such as gender, age, occupation, predisposition to various diseases and so on. This allows for the most detailed and accurate examination, as well as identifying potential disease risks and developing individualised treatment and prevention programmes for each patient.
St Mary's Hospital is renowned not only in Korea but also abroad. Patients come here for preventive examinations from various countries, including the United States, European countries and the Middle East.
| Example of a standard Check-Up programme in a clinic |
|---|
| Consultation with a doctor |
| Electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, ultrasound of abdominal organs |
| Laboratory analyses of blood and urine |
| Receiving results and doctor's recommendations |
Oncology at St Mary's Hospital
The Department of Oncology at St Mary's is one of the strongest cancer treatment centres in South Korea. The doctors in the department specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of cancers including gastric, lung, oesophageal, colorectal, head and neck, breast, pancreatic, urinary system, gynaecological oncology, skin cancer, etc.
Modern technologies such as Infinity linear accelerator, 3D-stereoscopic radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and others are used in the department for radiotherapy. These technologies ensure that treatment is precise and effective while minimising the impact on surrounding healthy tissue. In addition, the latest TomoTherapy, CyberKnife and GammaKnife units are available to patients for irradiation of tumours of various shapes and locations.
Recently, the latest linear accelerator VitalBeam, manufactured by Varian from the USA, has been used for tumour irradiation. This equipment provides precise radiation treatment of tumour tissues, minimising the impact on healthy tissues thanks to the visual inspection function (IGRT). The device is equipped with a 6D couch, which provides even greater accuracy of the procedure. The Somatom Go Open Pro computer simulator is used to develop the treatment plan and calculate the radiation intensity.
Each patient's treatment approach is individualised and based on their unique needs and disease characteristics. Treatment is developed by a multidisciplinary team of physicians, including medical oncologists, radiotherapists, surgeons and other specialists, allowing the most effective and safe treatment plan to be selected for each patient.
Organ transplantation at St Mary's Hospital
The Organ Transplant Centre at St. Mary's is a leader in the field of transplantology. It provides state-of-the-art treatments according to international standards and ensures high survival and success rates. To date, doctors have performed more than 2,300 kidney transplants (with a five-year survival rate of 92 per cent) and 1,000 liver transplants (with a five-year survival rate of 85 per cent).
For international patients, liver and kidney transplants are performed at St Mary's. To improve patient prognosis, an accelerated donor availability schedule is implemented here and waiting times are minimised. Doctors perform organ transplants using minimally invasive methods, which reduces the risk of complications, and blood loss and speeds up the recovery process.
Doctors at the hospital are constantly working on improving transplantation methods and conducting research to solve complex clinical cases. For example, a new transplantation method was developed and introduced here for patients with high levels of antibodies in the body who had previously been refused surgery.
Bone marrow and stem cell transplantation at St Mary's Hospital
The Bone Marrow Transplant Centre at St. Mary's is one of the leading medical institutions in the world in this field. The institution ranks 5th in the international ranking for the number of haematopoietic stem cell transplants performed and is the best centre outside the USA for this purpose. Doctors perform more than 500 procedures per year, which is 30% of the total number of such operations in South Korea.
The centre employs doctors of various specialities, including oncohematologists, pulmonologists, infectious disease specialists, and radiation oncologists, which allows providing a high level of medical care. The centre is recognised as a world leader due to its high standards and successful transplant results. It attracts patients from all over the world and participates in the training of specialists from various countries.
The Centre has equipped chemotherapy rooms, 39 sterile rooms, 74 semi-sterile rooms, 108 inpatient rooms and 5 intensive care rooms. A school is available in the department for children under treatment.
Cell Therapy Centre at St. Mary's Hospital
The Centre for Cell Therapy at St Mary's specialises in the treatment of a wide range of diseases, including those that are incurable.
The Centre develops comprehensive treatment methods for each patient, taking into account their individual needs and disease characteristics.
Doctors are actively involved in clinical research in the field of cell therapy, aimed at developing new methods of treatment and increasing the effectiveness of therapy.
The Centre employs doctors of various specialities - haematologists, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, cardiologists, plastic surgeons and others. Each doctor specialises in certain methods of cell therapy.
The following therapies are used here:
Cell therapy is a medical approach aimed at restoring organ and tissue function through the use of regenerative cells. This therapy can be useful for patients with tumours of the lymphatic system, diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, myocardial infarction, chronic wounds and other conditions that cannot be treated using traditional methods.
immune cell therapy and graft versus host reaction cell therapy for tumours of the lymphatic system;
transplantation of pancreatic islet of Langerhans cells for the treatment of type 1 diabetes;
treatment of liver cirrhosis with mesenchymal stem cells;
therapy of myocardial infarction with peripheral blood stem cells;
treatment of epicondylitis and plantar fasciitis with platelet-rich plasma;
therapy of acute and chronic hard-to-heal wounds with mesenchymal stem cells, platelet-rich plasma and autologous adipose tissue.
Surgery at St Mary's Hospital
Surgery is one of the most developed areas at St Mary's Hospital. The departments of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Paediatric Surgery, Gastrointestinal Surgery, Nephrology, Oncology, Pulmonology, Thoracic Surgery, Urology, Breast Surgery, Colorectal Surgery and Rectal Surgery, etc. are available to treat diseases of internal organs.
This department uses various approaches to surgical interventions, including minimally invasive techniques (laparoscopy, endoscopy), robotic surgery and open surgeries.
One of the main advantages of minimally invasive techniques is that they are less traumatic for the patients and allow them to recover faster. For example, in the past, laparoscopic surgeries were performed through 3-4 openings, but modern technology allows such procedures to be performed using only 1 opening. This is especially important for patients who are concerned about scarring after surgery.
Paediatric Surgery
The Department of Paediatric Surgery at St. Mary's Hospital specialises in surgery for children under 15 years of age. It performs surgeries in various areas such as neonatal surgery, paediatric traumatology, organ transplantation and others.
The paediatric surgery department treats various congenital anomalies such as neck, chest, abdominal anomalies, and anal obstruction. Surgeries for removal of tumours, treatment of oesophageal and gastric obstruction, diaphragmatic defects, hernias and other diseases are also performed in this department.
The department also deals with paediatric traumatology, providing medical care for external injuries as well as treatment of internal injuries such as injuries to the liver, pancreas, spleen and other organs.
Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery at St. Mary's Hospital
The Department of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of patients with various cardiovascular diseases. The clinic provides the following services:
coronarography for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery diseases;
surgical revascularisation to restore blood supply to the heart;
Arrhythmia treatment with pacemakers and radiofrequency ablation;
treatment of valve disease with valvuloplasty or valve replacement;
balloon angioplasty and stent insertion to restore arterial capacity;
surgical removal of aneurysms, etc.
Cardiac intensive care, catheterisation, exercise ECG, 24-hour monitoring and echocardiography, and hybrid surgical rooms are provided for patients with cardiac diseases, which allows for complete diagnosis and treatment.
The cardiology department works on the principle of a comprehensive approach to patients. Doctors work together with other medical specialists such as surgeons, radiologists, anaesthetists and nutritionists to provide the most effective treatment possible.
State-of-the-art treatments are used here. For example, severe insufficiency is treated with the LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device). This method is based on the implantation of a device that supports the heart by helping blood to circulate through the body. LVAD significantly improves patients' quality of life by providing stable blood flow and preventing acute heart failure. This innovative technology offers hope for recovery and prolongs the lives of people with severe cardiovascular disease.
St Mary's cardiologists and cardiac surgeons take on the most complex cases. Recently, a successful operation was performed on a patient with a rare aortic disease using a t-stent graft. The surgery was performed under the supervision of Professors Park Sung-chul, Kim Chang-yeon and Jeong Ho-jeong. The t-branch stent graft (t-Branch) is an innovative medical device used to treat the aorta. The main feature of this stent is its design, which allows it to replace the diseased section of the aorta and provide a reliable blood supply to important organs by creating a new pathway for blood. This method of treatment avoids open surgery.
Neurology and neurosurgery at St Mary's Hospital
The methods of treatment for neurological diseases used in the Department of Neurology at St Mary's Hospital include a wide range of therapeutic approaches. Specialists in the department collaborate with other medical specialists such as neurosurgeons, psychiatrists, rehabilitation therapists and others to provide comprehensive and individualised treatment for each patient.
The clinic is consulted for the therapy of:
ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke;
epilepsy and seizure disorders;
Parkinson's disease and other degenerative diseases of the nervous system;
brain and spinal cord tumours (gliomas, meningiomas, neuroblastomas and others);
vascular lesions of the brain (aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations);
movement and coordination disorders (ataxia, dysarthria);
neurological complications of trauma and traumatic brain injuries;
inflammatory diseases of the nervous system (multiple sclerosis, inflammatory polyneuropathies);
spinal cord pathologies (spinal tumours, spinal degenerative diseases, spinal injuries);
neurogenic tumours of the peripheral nervous system (neurinomas, schwannomas, neurofibromatoses), etc.
Depending on the specific diagnosis and symptoms of the disease, neurologists use the latest generation of pharmacological agents to control symptoms, slow disease progression and improve patients' quality of life. This may include the use of antiepileptic drugs, pain medications, medications to improve cognitive function, and many others.
In cases where drug treatment is not effective enough or where correction of anatomical defects is required, surgical intervention may be decided. Innovative methods of neurosurgery, such as deep brain stimulation, and neuromodulation, as well as the use of biological drugs and gene therapy, are actively implemented here, which allows to improve the effectiveness of treatment and results for patients.
The hospital places great emphasis on physiotherapy and rehabilitation. These methods help to restore patients' functional abilities, improve their motor skills and movement coordination, and reduce pain. The rehabilitation department has at its disposal the most modern equipment for such purposes.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
St Mary's Clinic provides comprehensive treatment of joints and pathologies in the field of orthopaedics:
Treatment of degenerative diseases of the spine, congenital deformities, vertebral fractures and spinal cord injuries;
joint replacement surgeries;
arthroscopic procedures for the diagnosis and therapy of joint lesions;
microsurgical and reconstructive operations for diseases and injuries of the hands and feet;
removal of malignant bone tumours and amputations;
treatment and operations for sports injuries.
The department has 11 professors, 13 clinical instructors and 12 experienced doctors. Each patient receives individualised treatment depending on their condition and needs.
Certificates
ISO 9001 Quality Management System
Joint Commission International
Doctors
Prof Jin-Hyoung Kang
Oncology
Experience: Over 37 years
Prof. Myung-Ah Lee
Gastroenterology
Experience: Over 27 years
Prof. Chul-Woo Yang
Transplantology
Experience: over 30 years
Prof. Park-Sun Cheol
Transplantology
Experience:
Prof. Seok-Goo Cho
Oncohematology
Experience: Over 32 years
Prof. Ho-Joong Youn
Cardiology
Experience: over 36 years
Prof. Sin-Soo Jeon
Neurosurgery
Experience: Over 26 years
Prof. Shin-Yong Sam
Neurosurgery
Experience: Over 32 years
Prof. Youn-Soo Lee
Diagnosis
Experience:
Location of the Clinic
222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-Gu, Seoul, Korea
Seoul is a dynamic metropolis where history blends harmoniously with modernity. Here, glass and concrete skyscrapers are juxtaposed with ancient Buddhist temples, and busy shopping streets with quiet parklands.
St Mary's Hospital at the Catholic University is conveniently located in Seoul. It can be reached from Incheon Airport by public transport, shuttle bus, underground or taxi. The journey will take about an hour.
In the immediate vicinity of the clinic are: JW Marriott Hotel Seoul and Novotel Seoul Ambassador Gangnam, park areas, as well as shops and shopping centres.
Korea
FAQ
St Mary's Hospital has a large diagnostics department that works closely with other departments. The Radiology Department offers the opportunity to be examined on the latest MRI, CT, angiography equipment, modern mammography, fluoroscopy equipment, colour ultrasound equipment, digital radiography equipment, etc. In addition, the clinic offers general chemical analyses, immunological tests, molecular genetic tests, cytogenetic analyses, etc. The Check-Up comprehensive diagnostic service is also available for foreign patients.
A variety of procedures and surgeries are performed at St Mary's Hospital:
- Heart and Vascular Surgery. Includes heart surgery such as coronary bypass surgery, heart valve surgery, surgical treatment of aneurysms, arterial atherosclerosis, etc.
- Oncological surgery. The clinic specialises in the surgical treatment of various types of cancer including breast cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, brain cancer, etc.
- Organ transplantation. Kidney and liver transplant surgeries are performed for international patients.
- Neurosurgery. Doctors of the clinic perform a wide range of operations on the brain and spinal cord, such as removal of tumours, treatment of epilepsy and other neurological pathologies, surgical treatment of the spine, etc.
- Endoscopic procedures. The clinic performs various endoscopic and laparoscopic surgeries, including surgeries using robotic technologies.
- Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Includes plastic reconstruction surgeries after traumas, removal of tumours or correction of congenital defects, as well as all kinds of cosmetic procedures.
This is just a small list of procedures and surgeries that are performed at St Mary's Clinic.
St Mary's Catholic University Hospital provides a wide range of services for international patients, among them:
- A personal coordinator who will accompany you through all stages of treatment, from initial consultation to discharge.
- Airport pick-ups and transfers.
- Interpreter services.
- Free Wi-Fi is available in the clinic.
- The clinic has several restaurants offering a wide range of Korean and international cuisine.
