Saturday, September 12, 2009

Chris Chong Clinic Pte Ltd

Gleneagles Hospital
6A Napier Road
Annexe Block
#02-35
Singapore 258500
Tel :(65) 6474 3031

Bishan 8 Clinic for Women (Tuesday night only)
Blk 501 Bishan st 11
#01-362
Singapore 570501
Tel :(65) 6474 3031
Consultation Hours : 6pm to 9pm

Saturday, March 14, 2009

妇产科与泌尿科 (华语讲座)

日期: 4月18号2009
星期六时间: 1点到5点
地点: Conrad Centennial Hotel, Level 2, The Ballroom
主持人: Violet粉樱

耀伦医生,周彩云物理治疗师以及辛学伟医生将为你解答以下问题:

1) 为什么我无法享受性爱? 与更年期有关吗?

2) 漏尿,泌尿与子宫下垂有得救吗?有什么新治疗方法?

3) 子宫下垂与漏尿可以预防吗?

4) 如何做骨盘收缩运动?

5) 了解子宫肌瘤及卵巢瘤问题以及它们会影响月经吗?

你可以以以下方式预先报名:

1) SMS: 输入EVENTS<<空格>>WOMEN<<空格>>全名<<空格>>人数, 发送到 8127 8006) 拨电话: 6584 6692 传真: 6854 66674)
电邮: events@parkway.sg
报名费: 每人$10 - 包括茶点,礼品

Friday, February 20, 2009

A healthy you, a healthy baby!

DATE : Saturday 21 Feb 2009, 2pm to 5 pm
Place : Suntec International Convention & Exhibition Centre
Cost : $10 per person / $18 per couple.
Closing date : 12 Feb 2009

Join Young Parents Baby in an afteroon of sharing as our experts show u how to make the most of your pregnancy, as well as how to care for and bond with your newborn. Get your pressing questions answered and mingle with other expectant parents at the seminar.

All Participnts will also receiv a fabulous goodie bag worth over $20!

OUR SPEAKERS

SUPER PREGNANCY DIET

What foods are best for you and your growing baby? Find out how to nourish your bump and bounce back into shape right after labour.
Speaker : Rehana A Wahid, clinical dietitian, Parkway Hospital Singapore.

WORK OUT WITH YOUR BABY

Bond with your child and get fit at the same time. Learn simple exercise routines that any busy mum master in minutes!
Speaker : Michelle Wee, occuptional therapist,pilates and yoga instructor.

GROWTH PROBLEMS IN BABIES AND YOUNG CHILDREN

Why is my baby losing weight? What's the normal growth pattern in infants? When should i worry? Let our expert enlighten you.
Speaker : Dr Warren Lee Wei Rhen, Consultant paediatrician.

IS THIS NORMAL

What am i supposed to look like at the six-month mark? Why do i need to go loo every half hour? Can i prevent stretchmarks? Get the lowdown on the questions you've always wanted to ask.
Speaker: Dr Christopher Chong, consultant obsterician & gynaecologist.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CORD BLOOD BANKING

Find out what cord blood stem cells are and the benfits of banking your newboard's cord blood.
Speaker : Dr Andrew Wu from Codlife.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Letter FromPatient

Hi Dr. Chong, Keith and Felicia:

I am doing very well thank you. I intended to write a short note but once I started writing I could not stop.

Keith / Felicia : I have to thank the STB for alerting me to the existence of a Uro-Gynaecological speciality and Dr. Chong. I refer to an advertisement in the Silk Air flight magazine, Feb. 2008. I called Dr. Chong and made an appointment the day I got back to Singapore. I have gone into some detail below, so you may not need to interview me, however, I would like to see the final copy you intend to use before you use it.

Unlike most people with stress incontinence I had sought treatment before visiting Dr. Chong. I had discussed my problem with an Urologist at Gleneagles and his suggestions were unconvincing and far from satisfactory – he suggested narrowing the urinary tract exit by injecting collagen or similar material, he further suggested that the TVT was a new, untried, procedure. I also noticed that all his patients were male and his secretary and nurse were quite surprised to see me. Dr. Chong – Do most Urologists tend to be Andrologists?

My gynaecologist at Mt. Elizabeth, who I have been seeing since 1996, had earlier suggested I do kegle exercises, and that my condition could be easily resolved by exercise especially since I had not had any children. She is a good gynaecologist but made the above suggestion without doing any test or examination. Neither my Gynaecologist of 13 years nor the Urologist I first visited alerted me to the existence of Uro-Dynamic Studies, tests which could determine the severity of my stress incontinence and help determine the course of treatment. So learning about the Uro-Gynae specialty was a godsend. Thanks again STB.

It seems to me that the Uro-Gynaecological speciality is not common nor well-known and that neither Urologist nor Gynaecologists are knowledgeable in this dual specialty space – at least this is my observation. Neither set of specialists, Urologist or Gynaecologists, seem to be able to give helpful advice on the issue of stress incontinence, even to a patient like me who was motivated to find answers.

Dr. Chong you are only listed under gynaecology on the Gleneagles website, perhaps a cross-listing in urology indicating your dual specialty will be helpful
http://www.parkwayhealth.com/DoctorSearch/?txtSpecialty=Urology&txtHospital=Gleneagles&postback=true&txtName=&Go=Search

In light of the above I am happy to help educate stress incontinence sufferers in any way I can, except I don't want my name to be revealed. I have been a professor for the last 20 years in the US and Singapore and have taught a few thousand students – I would not like them to know the details of my private life. Perhaps you should just describe me as "a busy, 40+ business professional who travels extensively."

Having said this, it is precisely the crux of the matter. Stress incontinence is socially embarrassing! In fact, I think many sufferers see incontinence as a sign of physical and mental deterioration and social and personal failure, something that happens to old bedridden people with Alzheimer's or dementia NOT to active, successful professionals who travel the world. Most people with whom I have spoken do not know that there is a difference between urinary incontinence and stress incontinence with different origins and treatment.

Since my operation I have raised the issue with 5 close female friends who are 40+ and moderately overweight . Four admitted that they have had stress-incontinence for at least 2 years or more. All were well educated professionals but none of them had discussed the issue with any one till I raised it with them using my surgery as a starting point. They were relieved that there was a simple "relatively painless" solution, even if the solution was in Singapore and they were in India. There appear to be a few uro-gynaecologists scattered around India (Google hits) but it was not clear what was their experience in treating stress incontinence they seemed more focussed on reconstruction of the vagina and surrounding areas.

Finally, a few nosy individuals were surprised that I was going from India to Singapore for surgery. Don't people come from Singapore to India for surgery? These were not people with whom I wanted to discuss my private life so I didn't satisfy their curiosity.

Pls. feel free to use details from this email for purposes of informing and educating the public BUT please ensure that my name is not used, also, I would like to see the final copy you intend to use before publication

About pelvic organ prolapse

This is a condition where one or more organs normally supported by the pelvic floor muscles, namely the bladder, bowel, rectum, urethra, uterus and vagina, herniate or protrude outside the body.
Pelvic organ prolapse is most often linked to strain during childbirth. Normally, the pelvic organs are kept in place by the muscles and tissues in the lower belly. However, during childbirth, these muscles can get weak or stretched and if they do not recover, they will become unable to support the pelvic organs. While older women are more likely to have pelvic organ prolapse, it is also known to run in families.
A prolapse can be fairly mild but it can also become serious. Common symptoms include lower back pain, a sensation of ‘something falling out’, stress incontinence, constipation or painful sex.
In cases where symptoms are mild, doctors will usually recommend keeping to a healthy weight, doing exercises to strengthen pelvic muscles and avoiding lifting heavy objects.
In serious cases, surgery involving the repair of muscular tissues supporting the affected pelvic organs is performed. Where recurrence or a very bad prolapse occurs, a mesh can be used to replace the weak tissue.

Monique Hull and Maria Martinus Wenas - prolapse surgery

A mesh solution to a woman’s problem

Recurrence is common after treatment for pelvic organ prolapse. However, a Singapore urogynaecologist offers a way to significantly lessen the probability. Two women from across the globe are set to benefit from it.
It’s mostly a condition affecting women and one that is rarely spoken aloud, let alone brought to anyone’s attention, at least not until the situation becomes unbearable.
Pelvic organ prolapse is a relatively common condition, particularly among women above 40. It is estimated that half of all women who conceive will experience some form of prolapse in later life. However, Dr Christopher Chong, a renowned obstetrician, gynaecologist and urogynaecologist at Singapore’s Gleneagles Hospital feels it is merely the tip of the iceberg.
He says, "Many who come in to see me appear to have suffered the condition for quite some time. Worse still, many often don’t seek help at all. Some think it’s a natural thing while others are just too shy, and so they live with the discomfort."
Dr Chong adds, "It’s one of those problems you unfortunately don’t hear a lot about and that’s unfortunate because it is a very treatable problem."
Pelvic organ prolapse is characterised by a tear or weakness in a woman’s pelvic floor muscles, allowing one or several of her internal organs supported by them to prolapse (herniate or fall) outside the body through a body opening. Although prolapse is not considered a life-threatening condition, it may cause a great deal of discomfort and distress.


"I pushed it to the back of my mind"

47-year old Monique Hull who hails from Stockholm, Sweden, had successfully battled breast cancer in 1989. Just over four years later, she gave birth to her only son. However, soon after, her doctor told her that her pelvic floor muscles were weak and suggested Kegel exercises to strengthen them.
"I did them for a while and although I did feel that something was weak down there, it did not disrupt my life at all. There was no pain. So I pushed it to the back of my mind," recounts the sales representative for a Scandinavian design company.
Over the years, Monique began to feel some discomfort, notably during her regular jogging and gym workouts. Although she braved the long waiting lines for non-emergency medical care in Sweden, the gynaecologist she consulted could not find any clear symptoms to indicate a problem, other than some fibroids, which he did not expect to grow any further.
Monique’s work had taken her to Singapore and it was in early 2008, when she decided to go for a health screening check-up. To her surprise, she was told that she had a prolapse. On a recommendation, she saw Dr Chong at his clinic in March.
"She presented with a prolapse of the bladder and womb which quite bad. She also had a 6cm fibroid, a broad ligament type which was not in the usual area. Besides having to remove the fibroid and womb vaginally, I needed to fix her weak pelvic tissues to correct her prolapse," relates Dr Chong.


"I wanted a doctor I could trust"

In March 2007, Maria Martinus Wenas, a 54-year homemaker from Indonesia, felt some discomfort in her vagina. She subsequently consulted a gynaecologist in Jakarta who examined her but somehow, his behaviour did not instil any confidence in her.
She explains, "He did not appear happy when my husband and I asked him a lot of questions. He seemed very impatient with us."
As there were no other symptoms to worry about, Maria left the clinic hoping that her condition would sort itself out. But it didn’t.
In March this year, Maria’s husband Wijono Chandra, 57, decided to search the Internet for a doctor who could treat his now, distraught wife, someone who could offer her not just a favourable outcome but confidence as well.
"I wanted someone I could trust," she says.
The couple found one such doctor in nearby Singapore and quickly flew down to meet him.
"We were impressed with what we read about Dr Chong and his penchant for new technology. We were pleasantly surprised to find him easy to talk to. More importantly, he explained his plans slowly and answered all our questions. We trusted him," declares Maria, whom together with husband, have three children aged 20, 24 and 25.
Dr Chong outlines, "Besides her bladder and womb which were quite badly prolapsed, her rectum too had experienced quite an advanced prolapse. Like Monique, Maria’s pelvic tissues were almost atrophic, meaning that there was no tissue to hook or stitch up. It was really bad."

All new

After carrying out an urodynamic study to assess how the bladder and urethra of both women were coping with storing and releasing urine, Dr Chong then shifted his attention to treating their respective pelvic organ prolapse.
He reveals, "There was no incontinence in either woman but their prolapses were my main worry. I was concerned with the likelihood of a recurrence, which is always a problem with pelvic organ prolapse."
So Dr Chong decided on solving the problem by using a relatively new method involving a polypropylene mesh designed to replace old tissue and recreate their function.
"Essentially, scarring will occur over the tension-free mesh which then forms a permanent layer. The mesh is held up by attaching itself to tissue. It works from the anterior of the bladder and behind the rectum," explains Dr Chong, one of the pioneers in Asia of mesh use in 2006. He has so far done close to a hundred such procedures.
Since both women did not want to have any more children, Dr Chong also removed their wombs during the two-hour surgery, which according to him, would bring better results.
He says, "If they follow instructions; no carrying heavy loads or engaging in vigorous activity for three to six months, the scarring will set and they will avoid recurrence. It’s a crucial period."
Although the concept seems easy, Dr Chong stresses that it takes a lot of training and experience to do it.
"It’s a blind procedure and you need to know where and how deep to go in to place the mesh, otherwise you may cause more damage in there. Technique alone is not enough. You have to do it many times over to perfect it."
Singapore is one of the first few countries to use this method and continues to be the leader in the procedure in terms of most number of procedures done.
A week after surgery, Maria is feeling energetic and upbeat, a far cry from the depressive state she was in when she first came to Singapore.
"I was initially so scared of the pain but there was none at all. I’m so relieved and happy that I found Dr Chong. He’s improved my quality of life."
As for Monique, she proclaims, "It’s like I’m a brand new woman, and much lighter inside."
For more information about Chris Chong Women and Urogynae Clinic at Gleneagles Hospital (www.gleneagles.com.sg), call (65) 6474-3031.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

About Polycystic Ovarian Disease

A woman's ovaries have follicles, which are tiny sacs filled with liquid that hold the eggs. Although about 20 eggs start to mature every month, only one usually becomes dominant and fully matures. At this point (ovulation), the follicle breaks open to release the egg for fertilisation.
In women with PCOD, the follicles instead grow into fluid-filled cysts and no mature egg is released. Ovulation as such, does not occur. Thus with each menstruation cycle, these cysts accumulate and facilitate hormonal imbalances, which result in more cysts, thus sustaining a vicious cycle.
Although some cysts will subside, many remain inside the ovaries. Such hormonal imbalances create irregular (or no) menstruation in women, making them susceptible to infertility problems.
Diagnosis usually encompasses a history of menstrual cycles and a vaginal ultrasound to look for enlarged ovaries. Blood tests are also helpful in measuring the levels of hormones, in particular androgen (male hormone) and oestrogen. Excessive levels of the former can lead to acne and an abnormal amount of body and facial hair, among other symptoms.
Though there is no cure for PCOD, it can be managed. Treatments depend very much on the symptoms of each patient and their desire to conceive, in which case, fertility medication may be prescribed to enhance ovulation. Care however, must be taken to ensure that a woman’s ovaries are not over-stimulated to an extent which is detrimental to her health.
Since many women with PCOD tend to have a weight problem, a healthy diet and increased physical activity to lose weight may help restore a normal period. PCOD, sometimes referred to as PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) is the most common hormonal abnormality in women of reproductive age and is a leading cause of infertility. Not much is understood about the causes of PCOD though many suggest a strong genetic link. An estimated five to 10 percent of women of childbearing age are believed to have the condition.

True story on David Ditto and Linta

Made in Singapore

They wanted a baby but something was wrong. Several doctors, two years later and still with no bundle of joy to show, a couple from India decided to turn to a Singaporean specialist for help.
Across much of modern-day India today, starting a family immediately after marriage remains very much the number one priority. Any delay, as one couple discovered, only serves to illicit pressured reminders from relatives and friends.


"When we were married in 2006, everyone wanted to know when our baby was arriving. Of course we too desired a child and were trying hard but somehow, my wife couldn’t conceive," reveals 33-year old technical specialist Ditto David.
Hailing from the city of Kerala, on the tropical Malabar Coast of south-western India, Ditto’s 23-year old wife Linta Davis saw several doctors, initially for her failure to conceive and later, for another problem that emerged.
Ditto informs, "She was experiencing irregular periods for about three months and then it stopped completely. After some tests, one doctor diagnosed polycystic ovarian disease and gave her some medicine. It appeared to help but three months later, her period stopped again."
Polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) is a condition where patients have immature eggs and because of this, do not ovulate regularly. Under such circumstances, conception is not easy to achieve.
Determined, Linta, a homemaker, kept to every appointment and took her medication religiously but by early 2008, after almost two years, her condition had not improved.
As both sank into desperation, Ditto admits he was finding it increasingly difficult to hold back his emotions each time his wife wept over her inability to bare him a child.


A lucky posting

Although the couple continued to try for a baby, it was getting harder as time went by.
"One day when I went to see my company doctor, I brought up my wife’s problem. He sensed my desperation and suggested I bring her to Singapore to see a top specialist whom he knew."
The specialist was Dr Christopher Chong, a well-respected obstetrician, gynaecologist and urogynaecologist from the renowned Gleneagles Hospital.
After doing some research, Ditto was highly impressed not only with Dr Chong’s credentials but also by the high standard of medical care in the island-state. It did not take long for him to make the necessary arrangements and on 4 February 2008, Ditto walked into Dr Chong’s clinic with a hopeful Linta by his side.

An expert’s strategy

Outlining the mechanics of conception to help the couple understand their situation, Dr Chong also explained his plans for them.
He discloses, "It was not unlike a counselling session because it was important to cover the psychosocial aspect of helping them reduce the stress factor which is an important cause of sub-fertility."
Investigations were then carried out to uncover the cause of Linta’s oligomennorrhoea or lack of periods. On top of the test results from the Indian doctors, additional blood tests for hormonal profiling and ultrasound scans were done. Dr Chong then prescribed his own concoction of medication.
He shares, "The idea was to get her to ovulate, monitor her ovulation and to provide a medium for better swimming of the sperm to meet the eggs. The medication was designed for this, with the added advantage of helping her lose a little weight since she was on the obese side."
Besides an ovulation kit, Linta was given fertility pills to take during her stay in Singapore. Dr Chong also prescribed some vitamins for Ditto to promote healthy sperm production.

Sooner than expected

During her check-up a month later, Linta had still not had her period. She was disappointed and close to giving up, thinking that the latest treatment had also failed to work. Not surprisingly, she needed some coaxing before agreeing to take a pregnancy test. However, unlike on numerous occasions previously, the news this time was pure delight.
Dr Chong recounts, "It was a touching moment when the test showed positive for pregnancy. Both husband and wife sobbed in my clinic and for me, it was another reason why my job can be such a fulfilling and satisfying one."
Ditto, who is the oldest son in his family, emotes, "It was a miracle. We could hardly believe it. We immediately called home to tell our parents and they were overjoyed. It was an amazing moment."
"Dr Chong was very calm, patient and sympathetic. He gave us confidence when all the other doctors back home failed to and he made us feel comfortable. The equipment and expertise in Singapore is really world-standard."
Eighteen weeks later, Linta was given a clean bill of health to return to India to deliver her baby.
"We used to cry often because she could not get pregnant. Nowadays, we cry whenever we talk about our baby," confesses Ditto.
"Though our baby will be born back home in India, we can proudly say that he (or she) was made in Singapore."

For more information about Chris Chong Women and Urogynae Clinic at Gleneagles Hospital
(www.gleneagles.com.sg), call (65) 6474-3031.