Gibbeum General Hospital
Ventricular septal defect treatment cost in South Korea typically runs from AUD $39,740 to AUD $62,051 for surgical repair. A vital heart ultrasound costs between Price on request and Price on request . Total expenses depend on the defect size and hospital location. Australians can save roughly 50–70% compared to private Australian healthcare rates. Seoul and Incheon are the primary hubs for these cardiac procedures.
Typical Ventricular septal defect Treatment Costs in South Korea
Bookimed Expert Insight: Patients seeking non-invasive options should consider specialised centres like Sejong Hospital. Dr Sungho Kim has performed over 1,200 interventions and pioneered catheter-based repairs in Korea. These techniques often reduce recovery time compared to traditional surgery. For complex adult cases, JCI-accredited facilities like Severance Hospital provide multidisciplinary care. They manage 4 million outpatients annually, ensuring teams handle rare cardiac complications routinely.
| Republic of Korea | Thailand | Turkey | |
| Open heart surgery | from AUD $39,740 | from AUD $48,804 | from AUD $11,155 |
| Ventricular Septal Defect Surgery | - | from AUD $25,796 | from AUD $16,733 |
| Interventricular septal defect surgery | - | from AUD $25,099 | from AUD $25,099 |
Dr. Jieun Ban is a pediatric cardiologist at Bucheon Sejong Hospital. She specializes in pediatric arrhythmias and congenital heart disease. Dr. Ban performs catheter-based electrophysiologic treatments for children and adolescents. She works at Sejong Hospital, a KOIHA-accredited facility that serves over 402,000 patients annually.
Dr. Jeong Yoon Kim is the Head of Pediatrics at Bucheon Sejong Hospital. She treats congenital heart defects, Kawasaki disease, and pediatric arrhythmias. Dr. Kim trained at Severance Hospital, a top-tier medical center in Korea. She provides care at both Bucheon and Incheon Sejong Hospitals.
Dr. Sungho Kim is a pediatric cardiologist at Sejong Hospital in Incheon. He has performed more than 1,200 pediatric and congenital cardiac interventions. Dr. Kim specializes in treating heart defects without open-heart surgery. He uses catheter-based methods for ASD, VSD, and tetralogy of Fallot.
Republic of Korea offers minimally invasive treatments for ventricular septal defect. These include transcatheter device closure and robotic-assisted repairs. JCI-accredited centres like Severance Hospital use Da Vinci systems. Specialists such as Prof. Sungho Kim have performed over 1,200 congenital cardiac interventions to date.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Analysis of Sejong Hospital data shows a clear advantage for patients transitioning into adulthood. Specialists there provide continuous follow-up care from childhood through to maturity. This long-term approach is vital, as congenital defects require monitoring throughout a patient's entire life.
Patient Consensus: Patients value how Korean clinics frame VSD treatment as routine. They note that recovery from catheter-based procedures typically takes only one week. It is important to confirm if a defect is muscular or membranous. This anatomy determines if device closure is possible.
South Korean hospitals offer treatment for ventricular septal defect (VSD). Options include open-heart surgery, minimally invasive transcatheter closure, and conservative medical management. Major centres like Severance Hospital and Sejong Hospital provide specialist care. They use heart MRI and echocardiography to guide precise surgical or catheter-based interventions.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While many centres focus on surgery, specialised facilities like Sejong Hospital in Incheon handle over 400,000 patients annually. Their experts, including Dr Sungho Kim and Dr Jeong Yoon Kim, pioneer catheter-based repairs. This high volume allows doctors to transition paediatric patients into adult cardiac care. This occurs seamlessly within the same institution.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that South Korean specialists prioritise monitoring small defects before suggesting surgery. They suggest asking for the exact size and location of the hole. This determines whether medication or theatre is required.
In South Korea, symptomatic infants typically have surgery within 3 to 6 months of age. Specialists prioritise early intervention for babies with poor growth or heart failure. Asymptomatic children usually have surgery once they reach a weight of 4.5 kg.
Bookimed Expert Insight: South Korea offers a distinct advantage for complex cases through high-volume cardiac centres. Seoul National University Bundang Hospital performs 2,400 open heart surgeries annually. This immense volume lets specialists like Dr Sungho Kim at Sejong Hospital pioneer catheter-based treatments. These techniques can replace open surgery for some VSD types, significantly reducing physical trauma for young patients.
Patient Consensus: Families find the cooler months of March or late autumn more comfortable for recovery. They suggest booking 4 months ahead to secure slots with leading paediatric cardiologists in Seoul.
Recovery after ventricular septal defect surgery in South Korea generally requires a 14-day total stay for international patients. Hospitalisation typically lasts 5 to 10 days. Patients return to normal daily activities within 6 weeks. Complete sternum healing and full recovery usually take 3 to 6 months.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Patients can access minimally invasive catheter-based interventions at specialised centres like Sejong Hospital. Prof. Sungho Kim has performed over 1,200 of these procedures. Choosing a catheter-based repair over open-heart surgery often significantly reduces initial pain. It typically shortens the inpatient stay.
Patient Consensus: Parents note babies often heal within four weeks. Adults report returning to work in two weeks. International families emphasise staying extra days in South Korea for follow-up echocardiograms. These confirm the patch is secure.
Small ventricular septal defects often close naturally in South Korea within the first two years. Korean specialists typically monitor small muscular defects using echocardiography. If the hole is large or causes symptoms, JCI-accredited Seoul centres provide minimally invasive catheter repairs. Open heart surgery is also available.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Leading Korean specialists like Prof. Sungho Kim have pioneered catheter-based treatments. These avoid open-heart surgery for defects that fail to close. Data shows clinics like SEJONG HOSPITAL and Severance Hospital maintain massive volumes. Severance performs 40,000 operations annually. These centres collaborate with top American institutions. This ensures international standards for complex paediatric cases that require intervention.
Patient Consensus: Parents in South Korea often find that small defects shrink or resolve better than expected. This frequently happens within 12 to 24 months. Families note that specialists usually recommend watchful waiting with follow-up scans. Specialists prefer this approach over immediate surgery if the child remains asymptomatic.
Lifelong follow-up care is essential after ventricular septal defect closure in South Korea. Specialists use regular echocardiograms to monitor heart function and rhythm. Patients need periodic check-ups to check patch stability and screen for any late complications. These are done at JCI-accredited centres in Seoul and Incheon.
Bookimed Expert Insight: South Korean specialist centres like SEJONG HOSPITAL manage exceptionally high patient volumes, seeing over 402,000 cases annually. This vast experience allows experts like Prof. Sungho Kim to refine transition programs. These programs provide seamless lifelong monitoring as paediatric patients move into adulthood, with no gaps in cardiac care.
Patient Consensus: Parents note that initial follow-up often involves scans every three months during the first year. South Korean patients emphasise having a clear plan for symptom monitoring before leaving the hospital.