The Modern Medicine
In the modern age, man wanted to move around as he wanted to see places which had been alien to him hitherto. Now he is exploring places not only for satiating his thirst for seeing newer lands alone but people travel across the globe in search of health destinations as well. In the recent years the flow of medical tourists to the country has gone up significantly.  People from all part of the globe seem to prefer India as a health destination. Many of the branches in healthcare including othopaedics, gynaecology, cardiology and dentistry have found a place in the list of most sought after medical services by foreigners. Cosmetic treatment which stands as separate category lures many to the state. Factors that have led to the increasing popularity of medical travel include the high cost of health care in developed countries, long wait for going through certain procedures, the ease and affordability of international travel and improvements in both technology and standards of care in many countries. Being the backbone of the health care system in Kerala, those devoting their lives to services in the health sector here also have vast experience and calibre. Many of the doctors in the state do have international stature. Kerala is internationally renowned not only for a low birth-rate and a high life-span of people but also for the surgeons and physicians who carried out complex surgeries and other treatments elegantly. The state could grow both horizontally and vertically in healthcare. One can see hospitals equipped with eminent doctors, skilled nurses and paramedical staff and state-of-the-art devices in every nook and corner of the state. Quality treatment in any branch of medical science can be availed in Kerala.
Cardiac Care: It is one of the branches of medical services which attract many health tourists to Kerala. The doctors who have proven track records add to the reputation of the hospitals here. Aortic stent grafting, angiography, angioplasty with contrast, angioplasty, angioplasty with medicated stent, carotid, coronary artery by-pass surgery, double heart valve replacement, electrophysiology complex study (EPS), heart transplant (subject to brain dead donor availability, I.C.D. (Single, double, combo chamber) implantation, pacemaker (single, double chamber, biventricular), paediatric interventional cardiology, RF ablation, paediatric cardiac surgery (ASD,VSD), single heart valve replacement and thoracic aortic aneurysm are some of the cardiac treatments offered by the hospitals in Kerala.
Transplant Surgery: Transplant surgeries are done for replacing an organ that is no longer functioning, with another organ in good condition. Organs are being donated by living and deceased donors. Renal transplant surgery where a kidney is transplanted into a recipient, liver transplant surgery, where part of a liver from a donor organ is transplanted into a recipient, corneal transplant for eye donation and bone marrow transplant used for treating leukemia are the important transplant cases. As transplant surgeries are done when an organ of the patient fails, getting the surgeries done at the earliest is all the more important. So, the patients from western countries like the United Kingdom where they will have to wait long for undergoing the surgery come to Kerala. The hospitals in Kerala where there are highly qualified and experienced doctors, trained supporting staff and most modern equipment offer treatment on a par with international standards at an affordable cost. The success rate of the transplant surgeries conducted in Kerala is another factor which attracts even foreigners to the hospitals in the state.
Cosmetic Treatment: If we had any say in designing our own body shape, almost all of us would have been debonairs or miss worlds.  But unfortunately, the physical appearance of us depends upon a lot of factors including heredity, time and place of birth. It was as a result of the experiments by many experts from across the world that gave birth to cosmetics treatment. Here an individual gets an opportunity to have a remake on the physical appearance of oneself according to his or her wish. Cosmetic surgeries can enhance one’s looks, persona, sensuality, physical appeal and thereby helping giving a boost to self-confidence. Once underwent a cosmetic surgery, a person will certainly feel more presentable and confident. Cosmetic surgery changes one’s appearance by altering parts of his or her body that function normally but make you unhappy. Cosmetic surgery is the most sought after treatment by the medical tourists across the world. Kerala hosts a lot of institutions which cater to the needs of those go for cosmetic surgeries.
Gynaecology: These departments in most of the hospitals in Kerala offer world class services. The hospitals have doctors, nurses and staff who are having lot of experience and expertise. They have proven records in handling any even complicated cases. They have the advantage of advanced technology and state-of-the-art equipment. People from all across the world, especially from the Gulf countries come to Kerala seeking the services of gynaecologists. The facilities to detect gynaecological disorders at an early stage and to prevent it are there in most of the hospitals.
Infertility Treatment: Reproduction is one of the main objectives of life- not for man alone but for the entire creations. That’s why the reports that infertility cases are on the increase globally shock the mankind. If the infertility cases were few and far between a decade ago, now it has touched an alarming level. Medical sciences and its supportive mechanism have risen to the occasion. Giving a ray of hope for millions, infertility treatment has gone much ahead. Southern India also could catch up with the world standards in the branch. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) is provided at specialized hospitals that offer Fertility Treatment in South India. The treatment programme includes medical check-ups of the couple, to determine the physiological causes of infertility. Once ascertained the cause, the appropriate assisted reproductive technique is prescribed. Advanced techniques such as GIFT (Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer) and ZIFT (Zygote Intra Fallopian Transfer) are offered at well-equipped hospitals. It is the success saga of many of the infertility clinics in South India that attract more couples to seek the service in South India. The flow of domestic and international health tourists has been another reason for infertility clinics mushrooming in these states. Laparoscopic surgeries for ectopic pregnancies, ovarian cysts and tumours, tubal blocks and even hysterectomies are available. Disorders of ovulation, controlled ovarian stimulation, controlled ovarian stimulation, Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI), Intra-Fallopian Tubal Insemination (IFI), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer (GIFT), Embryo Transfer (ET), Zygote Intra-Fallopian Transfer (ZIFT), sperm donation, freezing egg/oocyte donation, replacement of frozen embryos, full range of treatment of male infertility including micro-manipulation technology and- Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection are the areas where infertility treatment focus on.
Dental Treatments: Dental specialist clinics in Kerala are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and competent doctors and supporting staff. Most of the dental tourism providers in the state offer worthwhile dental packages. Low cost and high quality, as in the case of other treatments, are the motive force for the dental tourists for selecting Kerala as their destination. These specialty centres focus on all areas of dentistry like bleaching, prosthesis on the implant, dental implants, vertical and horizontal bone grafting, gum grafting, gums treatment, palatal orthodontics, intra mouth dental scanning, smile designing, root canal, teeth whitening, extraction of normal or fractured teeth under local anaesthesia, extraction of impacted wisdom teeth, ceramic caps without gold under microscopic control, maxillary surgery, dental bridges, porcelain, ceramic crowns, fluoride treatments for children, cosmetic dentistry, tooth contouring and reshaping and dental fillings. Dental tourism providers in Kerala offer cosmetic dentistry package to enhance the looks of a person. Under cosmetic dentistry dental bonding, dental veneers, these custom-made moldings made of porcelain or ceramic are perfect for spaces, chips, fractures, rotated or maligned teeth, distorted, or discoloured teeth.
Eye Care: Specialized Eye Hospitals equipped with latest technology and expertise can be seen in the main cities in Southern India. Many patients from neighboring countries and the Middle East travel to South India for ophthalmology treatment. The health tourists who are not ready to compromise on the quality of treatment are satisfied with the treatment given here. In the case of ophthalmology treatment, there needs little follow up treatment Surgeries for correcting vision, Lasik - Laser assisted eye surgery for myopia, cataract surgery, corneal transplant surgery and retinopathy are offered by the hospitals in South India.
Neurosurgery: Damage to the brain or spinal cord as a result of an accident, epilepsy, removal of tumours of the brain or spinal cord, treatment for stroke and aneurysm are some of the cases which normally require neurosurgery. Surgery on the spine includes micro-discectomy, laminectomy, corpectomy and spinal fusion. Congenital diseases of the brain and spine, tumours of the brain, spine and the spinal cord, vascular diseases such as aneurysms and vascular malformations, regenerative disc and other spinal diseases, instrumentation of the spine and the craniovertebral junction, diseases of the pituitary gland, stereotactic surgery, surgery for epilepsy and movement disorders, stroke and haemorrhage in the brain and spinal cord, cortical basal ganglionic degeneration, epilepsy in adults with mental retardation, epilepsy in children with mental retardation are some other cases for which neurosurgery is being recommended. The surgery is being performed after conducting various tests for diagnosing the disease properly. EMG (electromyogram) which tests the functioning of muscles and nerves, Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV) which monitors the carriage of impulses through a nerve, Computerized Tomography Scan, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan, Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), Interventional Neuro-Radiology and Digital subtraction angiography are the major tests done for diagnosing diseases related to the nervous system.
Orthopedics: A number of orthopedic procedures such as hip and knee replacement, the Ilizarov technique, limb lengthening and Birmingham Hip resurfacing technique, can be safely done in South Indian Hospitals. Many hospitals specialize in the latest techniques and treatments such as minimal invasive surgery, cartilage and bone transplantation, spine surgery and limb sparing surgery. All kinds of musculoskeletal problems ranging from Arthritis to sports injuries, to complex broken bones, bone tumours and childhood conditions like scoliosis are treated most effectively. A wide range of spinal surgeries including fixation, stabilization and fusion are regularly undertaken.