Pelvic Organ Prolapse · Patient guide

Pelvic Organ Prolapse Treatment in Korea for Foreigners: Full Guide

Foreign patients can have pelvic organ prolapse assessed and treated in Korea in a single short trip: consultation and examination on arrival, vaginal native-tissue repair under sedation and local anesthesia, same-day discharge, and follow-up from home. Somssi Women's Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul has been a Ministry of Health and Welfare registered institution for foreign patients since 2011 and offers English-language consultation.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, MD, PhD, OB/GYN specialist, Somssi Women's Clinic · Last updated October 2026

At a glance

Key facts

The essentials, based on how Somssi Women's Clinic performs this procedure or answers this question. Your plan is confirmed at consultation.

• Registered for foreign patients: Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2011; Seoul Medical Tourism cooperation clinic, 2016
• Location: Teheran-ro, Gangnam, about 100 m from Gangnam Station Exit 1
• Consultation: English-language, with AI-assisted real-time translation in other languages
• Procedure: vaginal native-tissue repair, about 1 hour, no mesh
• Hospital stay: none; same-day discharge
• Suggested stay in Seoul: several days; follow-up continues by message from abroad
• Pricing: written estimate after consultation; no prices published online

Pelvic organ prolapse can be treated in Korea by international patients without a long stay: examination and surgery happen in the same clinic within days, there is no hospital admission, and aftercare is managed remotely. This guide walks through why women travel to Seoul for prolapse care, what the process looks like, what it costs in principle, and how to plan the trip.

Why international patients consider Korea for prolapse treatment

Three things bring women to Seoul for pelvic floor surgery. The first is access: in many countries, prolapse repair means months on a waiting list or a referral to a hospital that defaults to hysterectomy. The second is approach: some patients specifically want a uterus-preserving, mesh-free repair. The third is cost, since specialist surgery in Korea is often lower-priced than comparable care in the US, UK or Australia, though no responsible clinic should promise a figure before examining you.

Somssi Women's Clinic is a surgical gynecology clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, founded in 2000 and led by Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, MD, PhD, a member of the Korean Society of Urogynecology who has presented research on prolapse and pelvic floor dysfunction at international congresses in Vienna, Sydney and San Diego. The clinic was registered by the Ministry of Health and Welfare as an institution for foreign patients in 2011 and selected as a Seoul Medical Tourism cooperation clinic in 2016.

Which prolapse problems are treated here?

The clinic treats the full range of pelvic organ prolapse through the vagina using the patient's own tissue:

• Uterine descent, by hysteropexy (lifting and fixing the uterus) with culdoplasty, rather than hysterectomy. See uterine prolapse surgery.
• Rectocele and a widened vaginal opening, by posterior wall repair and perineal reconstruction.
• Cystocele, with care to protect the urethra and bladder; the clinic's technique avoids operating on the front wall where possible.
• Enterocele and early vault descent, by closing the cul-de-sac at the top of the vagina.
• Prolapse combined with vaginal laxity, reduced sensation or recurrent vaginitis, which is common and is addressed in the same operation. See pelvic organ prolapse repair.
• Complications from mesh or implant surgery done elsewhere, through mesh complication revision.

Stress incontinence is assessed at the same time. Mild cases often improve with pelvic floor restoration; severe cases may need a separate sling procedure, which is discussed honestly rather than bundled in.

Step by step: how the process works for a visitor

1. Remote enquiry. Send your symptoms, any previous reports or operation notes and your travel window through the contact page or KakaoTalk. The team replies in English with whether you appear suitable and what a visit would involve.
2. Arrival consultation. On your first visit, Dr. Yoon takes a history, examines you while straining to stage the prolapse, measures vaginal length and pelvic floor strength, and performs pelvic ultrasound. Incontinence and bladder symptoms are checked. You receive a written estimate.
3. Surgery, often the same or next day. Fast for two hours beforehand, wear loose clothing and remove nail polish. Surgery takes about an hour under sedation plus long-acting local anesthesia, or local alone if you prefer.
4. Same-day discharge. You walk immediately and leave once you have passed urine. Tablets are taken for about five days. Sutures dissolve in roughly a week, so nothing needs removing.
5. Rest in Seoul, then home. Most patients stay a few days and fly once they are comfortable sitting for the journey.
6. Remote follow-up. Progress is checked by message and photo. In-clinic follow-up sessions, when needed, range from none to five; patients abroad are guided to manage these at home.

What determines the cost?

Somssi does not publish prices, and any figure you see quoted online for "prolapse surgery in Korea" is unlikely to apply to you. The written estimate you receive after consultation depends on which compartments need repair, whether hysteropexy is included, whether a perineal reconstruction or labial procedure is combined, and the type of anesthesia. The estimate covers consultation, surgery, anesthesia and standard follow-up.

Prolapse repair for a foreign patient is a non-covered (비급여) service under Korean rules, meaning you pay the clinic's fee directly rather than through national insurance. Some international health plans reimburse medically necessary prolapse surgery abroad, so ask your insurer before you travel and request itemized receipts. Budget separately for flights, accommodation near Gangnam Station and a few extra days in case your surgeon advises more rest.

How long should I stay in Seoul?

Because discharge is same-day and sutures are absorbable, a stay of several days is usually enough. A sensible plan is: day 1 consultation and examination; day 1 or 2 surgery; days 3–5 rest, gentle walking and an optional check; then fly. If you can stay a week, you will be more comfortable on the flight. The six-week limits on lifting, vigorous exercise, bathing and sauna, and the seven-to-eight-week wait before intercourse, apply wherever you are. Read the full timeline in how long prolapse surgery recovery takes.

Language, privacy and practicalities

• Language: consultations are available in English, and the clinic's AI consultation system provides real-time translation for other languages.
• Privacy: the clinic is a dedicated women's surgical practice staffed by registered nurses; your records are not shared.
• Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 09:30–18:00; closed Thursday, Sunday and public holidays.
• Getting there: Teheran-ro 120, 7th floor, about 100 m from Gangnam Station Exit 1, roughly an hour from Incheon Airport by train or limousine bus.
• What to bring: passport, any previous imaging or operation reports, a list of medications, and a companion if you would like one at discharge.

More detail is on our international patients page.

Honest limits

Not every prolapse is suited to an outpatient vaginal repair. Advanced stage 3–4 prolapse, prolapse after previous failed surgery, or complex incontinence may need a hospital-based procedure, and Dr. Yoon will say so at consultation. Every operation carries risks of bleeding, infection, injury to the rectum or cul-de-sac, painful intercourse and recurrence; distance makes it more important, not less, that you understand these before you book.

Bottom line

Korea offers foreign patients fast access to specialist, uterus-preserving, mesh-free prolapse repair with no hospital stay, and Seoul is easy to reach and navigate. Send your details, get an honest assessment and a written estimate, and plan around a short stay with remote follow-up. Somssi has welcomed international patients since 2011 and will tell you plainly whether it can help.

Questions patients ask

Frequently asked questions

Short, honest answers. For anything personal, a consultation is the right place to ask.

See the full FAQ →

Can I have the consultation and surgery on the same trip?

Yes. Most international patients are examined on arrival and have surgery the same or the next day if they are suitable. Sending your history and any previous reports in advance makes this smoother and avoids wasted travel if the clinic thinks you need a different type of treatment.

Do I need a referral from my own doctor?

No referral is required. It is helpful to bring any previous examination notes, imaging or operation reports, particularly if you have had prolapse or incontinence surgery before, because the plan may change if mesh or sutures from an earlier procedure are present.

Is prolapse surgery in Korea covered by insurance?

Foreign patients without Korean national health insurance pay the clinic's non-covered fee directly. Some private or international health plans reimburse medically necessary prolapse surgery abroad; check your policy in advance and keep itemized receipts and a medical report from the clinic.

How do I manage follow-up from another country?

After same-day discharge you are given written aftercare instructions and a direct contact. The clinic follows up by message and photo, and the absorbable sutures mean no removal visit is needed. Patients from other parts of Korea and overseas routinely complete aftercare at home.

What if I have complications after I fly home?

Serious complications are uncommon, but you should know where to go. Contact the clinic first for advice; if you have heavy bleeding, fever or cannot pass urine, see a local gynecologist or emergency department and share the operation report the clinic provides. Most issues that arise at home are minor and managed with guidance.

Can I combine prolapse repair with other procedures?

Often yes. Posterior wall repair and tightening are part of the same operation, and labial procedures can be combined in one anesthesia. Whether a combination is wise depends on the examination and your recovery plan, and it is discussed at consultation.

Keep reading

Related treatments and guides

• Pelvic Organ Prolapse Repair — the main treatment page for cystocele, rectocele and uterine descent
• Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery — multi-compartment native-tissue reconstruction
• Uterine Prolapse Treatment in Korea for Foreigners: Complete Guide — the journey for uterus-preserving surgery specifically
• How Long Does Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery Recovery Take? — timing your stay and flight
• What Surgery Is Used for Pelvic Organ Prolapse? — what you are being offered, in context
• Vaginal Mesh Complication Revision — for patients with problems after mesh surgery abroad
• Vaginoplasty in Korea for Foreigners: Complete Medical Tourism Guide — overlapping travel advice for posterior wall surgery

Sources and medical review

• International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) — patient information on pelvic organ prolapse and its treatment
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) — guidance on pelvic organ prolapse
• Yoon H.J. Pelvic floor dysfunction and posterior colpoperineorrhaphy (150 patients), presented at the ISSWSH annual meeting, San Diego, 2008

Next step

A consultation first. A decision only when you are ready.

Tell us what you are experiencing and what you hope to change. Dr. Yoon examines, measures and explains the options, including when no surgery is the right answer. International patients can start with an online consultation before travelling to Seoul.