Hip replacement abroad

This material is created specifically for patients who have decided to have an arthroplasty procedure abroad. In this article, we have tried to answer the most common questions:

• What are the latest developments in endoprosthetics?
• How much does endoprosthetics cost, and what is the package price? 
• What is the best type of arthroplasty to choose?
• How long will the endoprosthesis last?
• How to organize treatment in a foreign clinic? 

We also touched on more specific issues, such as how to perform surgery for metal allergies and what approaches surgeons use when performing surgery. Read about this and more below.

Applying to foreign clinics has many advantages. Among them are the high quality of service, qualification and extensive experience of orthopaedic surgeons, and the opportunity to restore health after surgery at a sanatorium or rehabilitation centre. However, most patients prefer treatment abroad for two main reasons. 

And the first of them is access to innovative technologies. In countries with developed healthcare systems, such as Germany, the UK, Israel and in recent decades, Turkey. For example, the arthroplasty procedure is performed using advanced technology such as high-precision navigation systems and robotic units. Many clinics use computerized systems such as the O-Arm Navigation System, Navio Surgical System, and Stryker Navigation System for precise positioning of the artificial joint.

It is also possible to replace the hip joint abroad using the MAKOplasty surgical robot, which very precisely trims the bone tissue before placing the implant, ensuring its stability. 

The latest innovation in this area of prosthetics is the development of a smart endoprosthesis with an integrated smart sensor. It can measure the number of steps, walking speed, range of motion and other indicators transmitted to the doctor. This information helps to select the optimal course of physical therapy and significantly accelerates the rehabilitation process.

The second reason why patients choose foreign clinics is the cost of hip replacement abroad. For many people, going abroad is a great opportunity to save money. We will look in more detail at the price of arthroplasty in various countries around the world in the next section.

How much you will have to pay for an arthroplasty procedure depends on many factors. These include the level of prestige of the clinic, the type of endoprosthesis to be installed, the duration of hospitalization, etc. However, if you consider the approximate total cost, you can understand the current trend. Below are the average prices for treatment in different countries:

• USA – €47,000; 
• Israel – €17,000;
• Germany – €16,000;
• South Korea – €18,000;
• Turkey – €8,000.

Thus, the highest cost of hip replacement abroad is in clinics in the USA, Israel, and Germany. The cheapest treatment will be in Turkey. However, do not think this is due to the low quality of service in this country. At the moment, the field of medicine in Turkey is actively developing. The government of the country provides significant financial support to medical institutions, which allows them to set competitive prices for their services. In addition, international patients can save money thanks to a favourable exchange rate.

Recently, many foreign clinics have been offering fixed-price packages. Most often, they include:

• orthopedic doctor consultation;
• arthroplasty procedure;
• the cost of an endoprosthesis;
• a package of all necessary medications;
• anaesthesia (general or spinal);
• preoperative examination;
• postoperative follow-up;
• hospitalization;
• interpreter’s accompaniment.

Some medical centres also offer airport transfers and hotel accommodation. 

Patients who have not previously experienced treatment in foreign clinics may find it difficult to understand what services are included in the cost of hip replacement abroad. That’s where the Experts Medical team can help. We have been working closely with the best orthopedic centres in the world for more than 8 years and will help you choose the most favourable offers. Moreover, in Experts Medical you will be accompanied by a certified doctor, who is well acquainted with all the subtleties of treatment abroad. He will take care of all organizational issues related to treatment and stay in the country and will be in touch with you at all times for any questions that may arise. 

Hip replacement surgery can be performed abroad in two ways. The essence of standard arthroplasty is to remove the head of the femur and replace it with an implant. In resurfacing, the head of the bone is not removed. Instead, the doctor grinds off a layer of destroyed bone tissue and covers the head with a special metal cap. What are the advantages of these treatment methods and which is better to choose when going abroad for treatment?

The main advantage of resurfacing is the possibility of preserving the natural bone tissue. This is very important for young and active patients who anticipate revision arthroplasty after the end of endoprosthesis service. The success of revision hip replacement surgery abroad depends mainly on the amount of bone preserved. This method is suitable for men under 60 years of age with osteoarthritis and a femoral head size greater than 48 mm. Resurfacing is not recommended for women of childbearing age, as metal particles can penetrate the placental barrier.

Total hip replacement does not have the exceptions described above. Candidates for the operation are both men and women of any age and with any diagnosis – osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, aseptic necrosis, etc. The only disadvantage of this method is that if the patient requires a second operation, it may be associated with certain difficulties. However, modern methods of hip arthroplasty used abroad make it possible to obtain excellent results of revision arthroplasty even with bone deficiency.

During the arthroplasty procedure, the doctor can access the damaged joint in two ways. The first is posterior, the most common. During the operation, the surgeon makes an incision in the gluteal region. To replace the joint, the doctor dissects the subcutaneous fat, fascia, and muscle. This approach gives the surgeon a better view of the joint and a wider field for manipulation. But it is accompanied by severe soft tissue trauma, and therefore requires a longer recovery.

Direct anterior access provides a less invasive approach. The doctor does not need to cut the muscles to gain access to the joint, but only gently pull them apart. In addition, the incision itself is much smaller. It is only 8-10 cm compared to 30 cm with traditional posterior access. Patients recover faster and experience less pain after this surgery. 

If direct anterior access has such significant advantages, why is it less frequently used? The reason is that most surgeons are trained in the posterior approach. Few surgeons receive additional training to learn the new direct anterior access technique.

One of the advantages of hip arthroplasty abroad is that foreign doctors are fluent in both techniques. When choosing a method, they focus primarily on the individual parameters of patients and the effectiveness of treatment in each case. For example, very muscular or obese people are better suited to posterior access. Patients with an average weight and a moderate amount of muscle mass and fat in the thigh area are good candidates for direct anterior access surgery. 

As with any other surgery, the main criterion for choosing a surgeon is experience. The more similar surgical interventions performed by the doctor, the better the results for the patient. Turkish surgeons stand out in this respect. 

Turkey is experiencing a real medical boom today. Thousands of people come to the country every year to receive high-quality and inexpensive medical care. This patient flow helps local doctors gain the necessary experience to perform arthroplasty procedures successfully. Some of the best Turkish surgeons in this field are Omer Faruk Bilgen, Murat Baloglu, Murat Bezer, Ozgur Çiçekli, and Birhan Oktaş.

Experts Medical team cooperates with leading orthopedic surgeons abroad specializing in hip replacement. Write to us and we will find you the best specialist according to your individual needs and wishes.

When it comes to the procedure of joint replacement, it is difficult to name the exact terms of stay in the clinic, as they can be influenced by a variety of factors, such as the need for preoperative diagnosis, the complexity of the operation, the general health of the patient, the duration of hospitalization and rehabilitation. 

The approximate timing of the endoprosthesis can be as follows:

• It is necessary to arrive at the clinic 1-2 days before the date of surgery for preoperative preparation and consultation with doctors.
• The operation itself takes about 2 hours.  As a rule, the patient is left in the hospital and discharged after 3 days.
• It is necessary to stay in the country for 8 days, excluding rehabilitation.

After that, the patient may stay in the clinic for rehabilitation treatment, which aims to quickly restore mobility, improve joint function and return to a healthy level of activity.

The most common reason for implant replacement requiring revision surgery is component wear and associated loosening. The lifespan of an artificial joint averages 20-30 years and depends on several factors. The main ones are:

• The weight of the patient;
• the patient’s activity level;
• the company and materials from which the implant was made.

One of the advantages of hip replacement abroad is that foreign clinics install high-quality implants from leading manufacturers. For example, Turkish surgeons use endoprostheses of such brands as De-Puy Synthes Johnson & Johnson and Zimmer Biomet. They are made of modern quality materials, are characterized by a high level of biocompatibility and last more than 20 years.

Metal hypersensitivity is an allergic reaction triggered by the body’s immune system. Unlike a pronounced and immediate reaction to pollen, animal hair or dust, metal allergy is delayed, sometimes after several weeks or months.

If a patient has a history of hypersensitivity to metals, doctors at foreign clinics may offer alternative treatment options. For example, people with nickel allergies can be fitted with endoprostheses made of titanium and ceramics.

An undoubted advantage of hip replacement abroad is the possibility of testing for metal allergies. It is enough to discuss this point with the surgeon. Since this type of hypersensitivity is quite rare, not all patients need to be analyzed. Testing is recommended only for people who have reacted to costume jewellery, belt buckles and watches in the past.

Experts Medical has been actively cooperating with leading clinics of the world for more than 8 years. During this time we have gathered the best hip replacement surgeons and know where to put the straw to make everything perfect down to the smallest details. Our board-certified physician coordinators will guide you every step of the way, from the initial consultation and clinic selection to the end of your rehabilitation after the successful completion of treatment.

Our goal is to provide you with state-of-the-art treatment with a safe and predictably excellent outcome. Our services are completely free for patients, as we are official representatives of more than 200 clinics.

Our physician coordinators will be happy to advise you and answer all your questions about price, doctor’s recommendations for you, surgery plan and much more.

Submit an application online to take the first step towards recovery.