Pioneer of surgical procedure preserves- Singapore patient’s uterus while removing 20 fibroids (including 3 that measured over 9cm in diameter)

A Singaporean couple discovered that Mrs. Tan, 43, had multiple large uterine fibroids (benign tumors) in a routine physical examination in 2007. Since then the couple had consulted renowned gynecologists throughout Singapore and Malaysia. Since the Tans desire children, they were disappointed to be told each time that the preferred treatment was hysterectomy, or complete removal of her uterus. Recently, they heard from friends that the director of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Taipei Medical University Hospital, Dr. Wei-Ming Liu, is a renowned specialist in this area of medicine. The Tans therefore decided to seek help in Taiwan from Dr. Liu.

After Dr. Liu’s assessment, Mrs. Tan decided to undergo minimally invasive surgical removal of uterine fibroids combined with bilateral uterine artery occlusion (微創性子宮肌瘤摘除術合併雙側子宮動脈阻斷術). This pioneering surgical procedure successfully removed more than twenty fibroids of different sizes. Mrs. Tan recovered very well after the operation and was relieved of the symptoms that had troubled her for four years. Most importantly, Mrs. Tan’s uterus could be retained for the couple’s wish to have babies in the future.

The director of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Taipei Medical University Hospital, Dr. Wei-Ming Liu, said that because the couple urgently wanted to retain the possibility of having children, all the fibroids could be removed using this minimally invasive surgical technique. With the assistance of Taipei Medical University Hospital’s International Healthcare Center, the patient was hospitalized on July 5. She received surgery on July 6 to remove the fibroids, which included three very large ones between 9 and 10 cm in diameter. Because the surgery also protected the bilateral uterine arteries, the bleeding was only 20 cc. This method successfully avoided the necessity for blood transfusions and also lowered the chance of future recurrence of uterine fibroids.

Mr. and Mrs. Tan were very satisfied with the results of this surgery and gave high marks to the hospital’s international medical team. Mr. Tan said that his career as an automobile dealer takes him traveling all over the world. Since his wife’s condition was diagnosed, he made every effort to search for possible treatments, without any satisfactory answer. After they decided to go to Taiwan to seek Dr. Liu’s opinion, the International Healthcare Center assisted each step of the way, from admission to post-surgical care and all special needs. Mr. Tan said, “I have travelled around the world for many years and had a lot of experiences in receiving health care services. The quality of international health care services at TMU Hospital, in its medical professionals, equipment and overall service, has achieved the best world standards.”

The superintendent of TMU Hospital, Dr. Tzen-Wen Chen, said the high standards of medical care and service orientation with reasonable prices are Taiwan's advantages in developing international health care services. Patients from the United States, Europe and mainland China come to Taiwan for treatment and to receive health check-ups and medical cosmetic services for these reasons. TMUH’s Center for Reproductive Medicine, its Gynecological Oncology and Chinese Traditional Medicine services and its Medical Cosmetic Center are favored by international patients and foreign diplomats in Taiwan. In addition to word of mouth, international guests choose Taiwan's hospitals for health care services according to whether the hospital is certified by the U.S.-based JCI hospital accreditation organization. TMU Hospital has also achieved related international certifications and evaluations in the areas of quality management, environmental management processes, and information security.

Dr. Liu further added that he received the World Conference of Gynecological Endoscopy Paper Award (Kert Samm Award) for his pioneering work on minimally invasive surgical removal of uterine fibroids in 2001. Over the past decade, he has performed more than 5000 operations, and has published more than 20 related papers. Many medical institutions have visited from around the world to witness his techniques and share his knowledge. TMU Hospital’s gynecologic team under the Dr. Liu’s leadership has reached the pinnacle of global achievement, and this technique can proudly represent Taiwan's advanced health care in the international medical arena.