Colorectal Medicine in Singapore

Colorectal medicine is a field of medicine that focuses on the disorders of the colon, rectum, and anus. Physicians specializing in this field of medicine are called colorectal doctor or colon and rectal doctor. They are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage a wide range of diseases, including Hemorrhoids, Anal itching, Fistulas, Anal fissures, Anal cancer, Colon cancer, Rectal cancer, Chron’s disease, Diverticulitis, Ulcerative colitis, Pilonidal cysts, Rectal prolapse, Fecal incontinence, Anal condyloma, Chronic constipation, Problems with bowel movements and urination.

Colorectal doctors are highly experienced and qualified to use numerous medical procedures to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the colon, rectum, and anus. These procedures include, but are not limited to Physical exams, including evaluation of vital signs and blood pressure, Colonoscopy, Barium enema, Digital rectal examination, Capsule Endoscopy, Proctoscopy, Sigmoidoscopy, Defecating proctography, Bowel surveillance.

Some colorectal doctors are also trained to perform surgery, such as bowel obstruction repair, pelvic laparoscopy, colectomy, colostomy, hemorrhoidectomy, polypectomy, strictureplasty, and more depending on the patient’s particular condition. They can also prescribe medications, such as antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs.

How Long Should I Stay in Singapore?

The length of stay depends on the type of procedure you underwent. For most diagnostic procedures, you should be able to leave Singapore within 2 to 3 days or until the results are ready. Once the result is ready, you will have to see your colorectal doctor. They will explain the results and discuss the treatment plan with you, if necessary. For surgical procedures, it is wise to stay for 3 to 7 days to let your body recover. You may also need to attend a follow-up checkup where your doctor removes the surgical stitches and monitor your healing progress.

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

For many procedures, such as colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy, you should be able to resume normal activities within 24 hours or after the sedation wears off. With surgical procedures, it may take around six to twelve weeks until you can go back to your normal activity, with the exception of strenuous activities. Your doctor will give you a recovery timeline, which includes when you can return to work and your full daily activities.

What Aftercare is Required?

Your medical team will give you aftercare instructions. It may include recommended diet, exercises, activity restrictions, and wound care (if any incision were made). For cancer patients, you may need to attend regular checkups. You do have the option to have the checkups with your local doctor at home if you cannot travel to Singapore multiple times. For non-cancer patients, your doctor will decide whether you need a follow-up checkup or not.

What's the Success Rate?

Thanks to the continuous advancement of colorectal medicine, the diagnostic procedures are now more accurate and the treatments are more successful than they were previously. More and more procedures are performed using new techniques and technology as well. For example, your doctor can now explore the entire colon without creating any incision or causing significant discomfort to you by using colon capsule endoscopy. However, this does not mean that there are no risks to colorectal procedures. Although uncommon, you still need to be aware of the risks, such as bleeding and infection.

Are there Alternatives?

In some cases, your general physician may be able to diagnose and treat your condition. However, if they think you need specialist treatment, they will still refer you to a colorectal doctor. 

Colorectal Medicine in and around Singapore

About Singapore

Singapore is a small, yet beautiful island city-state in South East Asia. The country's growth and prosperity in terms of infrastructure and economy are astounding and Singapore is affluent and tax-friendly and its GDP is on par with developed European nations.

Singapore is a global center for education, technology, tourism, trade, logistics, and healthcare. Medical expenses in Singapore are expensive when compared to Thailand and India. Yet, the country attracts medical tourists with its cleanliness, world-class medical infrastructure, and facilities. A C-section will cost anywhere between $6,048 and $11,267 in Singapore. Hip replacements can cost around $8,550-$12,850 and breast lump removal will cost you $5,459-$10,700 including a private room.

The country has 15 JCI accredited hospitals and medical centers, which offer a variety of services from orthopedics, dermatology, dental, cardiology, ophthalmology, and cosmetic procedures to alternative therapies such as acupuncture and Ayurveda. English-speaking medical professionals are extremely skilled and experienced. The hospitals in Singapore have access to cutting edge technologies and it is the best country to treat life-threatening, complex conditions.

It is advisable for medical tourists to have an International Health Insurance Plan to cover surgical costs. Most of the reputed hospitals in Singapore will only admit foreign patients with health insurance.

Medical care in Singapore is not just about getting preventive care and treatments for medical conditions that one may have. Some of the health care centers in Singapore are super luxurious and you can even order your food and shop using wireless tablets provided and make use of the nearby spas. Popular Hospitals and Clinics are the Farrer Park Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital Singapore, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Parkway East Hospital, and Thomson Medical Centre.

Popular parts of Singapore

Singapore is home to over 5.5 million people and its cultural diversity is displayed in the extensive ethnic cuisine and major festivals. Singapore ranks number ten in the world for skyscrapers.

• Sentosa: Each of Sentosa’s three beaches: Siloso, Palawan, and Tanjong—hold their own unique charms. Palawan beach’s islets and playgrounds are great spaces for families to unwind. Resorts World Sentosa is home to several amazing experiences. Take a movie-themed ride at Universal Studios Singapore, or immerse yourself in aquatic adventures at the S.E.A. Aquarium.
• Marina Bay: If you wish to explore the extravagant side of Singapore, visit the stunning, Marina Bay. The Nightlife is amazing with glittering lights, glitzy rooftop bars, and restaurants. Marina Bay is the central and the busiest district of Singapore.
• Chinatown: You can experience an impressive blend of traditional and modern Singapore in Chinatown. There are ornate Chinese, Buddhist and Hindu temples, museums and plenty of opportunities to soak up the busy streets which are full of old shophouses. It is the perfect location for traditional cuisine and you will be spoilt for choice.
• Orchard: The 2 km long Orchard Road is a shopper’s paradise as you will find large shopping malls and designer’s stores. Singapore’s only UNESCO World Heritage site, the Botanical Garden lies at the corner of Orchard Road.
• Joo Chiat: This neighborhood is more residential and you will find an amazing range of housing options.
• Little India: is the center of the Indian community within Singapore and is filled with multicolored shop-houses that line the streets, and various mosques and temples, and enjoy the aromas that infuse the night air when the demand for food is at its peak.

Weather and Climate in Singapore

Singapore lies close to the equator in the Southern Hemisphere. The island country has a tropical climate. It is hot and humid throughout the year which has led to a steady inflow of tourists all year round.

Singapore receives an annual rainfall of 2430 mm. An average of 167 days receives moderate to heavy rainfall. Two different monsoons: Northeast (December to March) and Southwest monsoon (May to September) accounts for the rainfall. Thunderstorms are quite common during the Southwest monsoon.

The average temperature is 31°C during the day. It is most likely that the temperature can drop to 19°C during the hours of darkness.

Getting around in Singapore

Rated as the world's best airport by Skytrax, Singapore Changi Airport is one of the busiest airports in the World. The airport serves around 100 airlines, flying to 400 cities across 100 countries. You can hire a taxi or use the MRT to reach downtown Singapore.

The transport system is efficient due to the systematic and comprehensive network of roadways. The Land Transport Authority controls private vehicles and minimizes traffic congestion. Some of the common forms of transportation are:

• Mass Rapid Transit (MRT): The MRT has a total of five lines. You can buy a Singapore Tourist Pass or EZ Link card which allows you to use the railways any number of times for two or three days. A single journey costs 0.58 USD and a train arrives every 2-3 minutes during the peak hours.
• Public buses: There are over 300 public buses to serve the locals and tourists and bus fares range from 0.58 USD to 2.07 USD.
• Taxis: are widespread in Singapore and are less expensive and metered. It can cost you 2.63 USD per km.
• Water taxis: Will take you across the beautiful River Singapore. You can visit a few tourist spots via water taxis and view the downtown from a different angle. A single journey will cost 5 USD.

Tourist Visa in Singapore

Citizens of India, China and Russia require a valid tourist visa to enter the territory of Singapore. The visa processing time is just 5 days and it is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. You are allowed to stay here for a maximum of 30 days.

People from the European Union, US, Norway, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand can enter and stay for 90 days in Singapore visa-free.

Additional Information

1. Singapore dollar (S$) is the official currency of Singapore. 1 USD is equivalent to 1.36 Singapore dollars.
2. You can find ATMs close to banks, shopping malls and almost every tourist location. You can also pay by using credit and debit cards.
3. Malay is the national language of Singapore. Mandarin, English, Malay, and Tamil are the four other official languages of the country. So, almost all the locals are fluent in English.
4. Singapore is home to 10 religions. 33% of the total population practice Buddhism, followed by Christianity and Islam.
5. New Year's Eve, Chinese New Year, Labour’s day, Good Friday, Deepavali, Vesak day, Hari Raya Puasa and Christmas are some of the public holidays in Singapore.