Digestive Diseases Center, Showa University Koto Toyosu Hospital

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Patients from all over the world

Many patients from various countries visited us to receive endoscopic surgeries such as POEM for esophageal achalasia, ARMA (Antireflux mucosal ablation) for persistent GERD and ESD for early stage tumor. They are from USA, England, Australia, UAE, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan etc.

Patient voice

“I have been receiving health care for management and treatment of achalasia for the past ten years, and the Digestive Diseases Center at Showa University Koto Toyosu Hospital is by far the best institution for achalasia treatment that I have visited. Every individual I interacted with at this hospital, including all of the receptionists, nurses, radiology technicians, supporting physicians, anesthesiologists, and surgeons, was intimately familiar with achalasia and the unique needs of achalasia patients, and demonstrated extensive experience and skill in caring for achalasia patients. The physicians possess and expertly utilize advanced techniques and technologies, unavailable in many other parts of the world, that improve both the safety and efficacy of surgical treatment for achalasia. As a patient, I felt understood, supported, attended to, and respected at every moment of my stay at the hospital. All staff were generous in their kindness and patience, and were genuinely eager to see me regain my vitality.　I visited this center specifically because I required a revision POEM surgery for advanced-stage achalasia. I am thrilled to report that, two months post -surgery, I am able to comfortably swallow liquids and soft foods, with no pain or acid reflux.
I am profoundly grateful to Dr. Haruhiro Inoue and all of the clinical and administrative staff at Showa University Koto Toyosu Hospital.”

“As many achalasia patients may know, life becomes extremely difficult as the disease progresses. The fear of having food stuck and the sudden onset of spasms can make every living moment terrifying. Combined with the fact that achalasia is a rare disease with no known cure, our future can look very bleak at times. However, in December of 2019, Dr. Inoue and the specialized achalasia team at Showa University Koto-Toyosu Hospital completely changed my life. The hospital staff greatly exceeded my expectations in terms of care, professionalism, and cost and has me wishing all achalasia patients knew about this option.

As an international patient, the language barrier was not an issue at all: Emergency Assistance Japan (EAJ) arranged a highly skilled, personal translator to accompany me through each day. Additionally, several doctors including Dr. Inoue and Dr. Shimamura spoke very good English, and all of the nurses carried portable translators.

As a full-time college student, the Koto-Toyosu Hospital worked around my availability to ensure I received treatment no matter what. Upon entry of the hospital, I was immediately greeted by a polite and professional hospital staff and given a well-organized schedule for my inpatient stay. The nurses, Dr. Inoue, and his team made sure to check-in on me several times a day to ensure that I was very comfortable and that nothing was wrong. The hospital staff treated me with the utmost compassion, as if I were family. The meals were well-planned and room accommodations were also outstanding.

As a very experienced and genuinely compassionate doctor, Dr. Inoue met with me personally several times to allay my concerns and to help me understand that I was being treated by a “specialized POEM team” that has delivered the best clinical outcomes for the treatment of achalasia across the entire world. I learned that Dr. Inoue and his team’s technique for the POEM procedure is backed by years of experience performing the procedure on thousands of patients and that they have learned essential methodologies no other hospital has to ensure the best patient outcomes.

Within a few days after the procedure, I was able to consume foods I thought I would never be able to eat again. Moreover, I have had no visible signs of acid reflux/GERD; I am forever grateful to Dr. Inoue and his team for saving my life. This specialized center is truly a shining gem and deserves all the praise for their life changing work.”