Shoulder replacement cost package: US $ 8,000 ~ 12,500
{The shoulder replacement surgery cost covers all medical & logistics costs at destination}
Costa Rica [USA Joint Commission International Accredited Hospital]
India [Harvard Medical Affiliated & USA Joint Commission Accredited Hospital]
Mexico [World Class Hospitals]
Belgium [Top Orthopedic Surgery Centers]
Shoulder replacement is not as common as hip replacement or knee replacement. Patients’ apprehensions about the cost and outcome of the surgery are partly responsible for this. The cost factor can be taken care of, thanks to cheap shoulder replacement surgery available in India, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Belgium. It is not only the cost advantage that medical tourists get, but also the high quality and personalized medical care when they go overseas.
Shoulder replacement is very safe and has very good results. It is no riskier than other joint replacement surgeries.
The indications for shoulder replacement are pain from arthritis, wearing out of the joints, or shoulder injury and the attendant loss of function. Surgery is recommended when the shoulder pain is unresponsive to non-surgical treatment such as inflammatory medications, steroid injections, and rest.
However, surgery is sometimes not offered to people who have high expectations from shoulder replacement, like athletes, tennis players, painters, etc. This is because though the artificial shoulder allows a person to do routine activities with less pain, it does not restore the level of function that the person had before the shoulder joint was damaged.
The joint is approached through a large incision in the shoulder region. The upper joint of the humerous (the upper arm bone) is cut and removed. The removed part is replaced by an artificial surface known as ‘prosthesis’. The prosthesis may need to be cemented to the bone or it may be made of material that allows new bone to grow into the joint over time to hold it in place without cement.
Shoulder replacement surgery may be done under regional or general anesthesia, depending on your orthopedic surgeon’s opinion, your health, and on what you prefer.
The first humeral head replacement in the United States was implanted for a proximal humeral fracture in 1953. In 1971, a matching polyethylene glenoid component was used as the first total shoulder replacement. (Source: The Shoulder by Edward V. Craig)
Your doctor will give you a detailed list of the preparatory things you need to do before shoulder surgery. The list below is only indicative:
All surgery comes with certain risks. Also, certain sets of people, like those who have heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease are more at risk than healthier people are. Risks or complications that may arise from shoulder replacement surgery are:
As a result of shoulder replacement, most people have much less pain and are able to do many of their daily activities more easily.
The shoulder will not move like it did before you developed shoulder problems, but significant range of motion will be restored, allowing you to resume activities like golfing, swimming, walking for exercise, dancing, etc. (if you did these before surgery).
Shoulder replacement is always the last option after other alternatives like anti-inflammatory medication, steroid injections, or physiotherapy have been tried out and they have failed. Except in the case of traumatic injury, these alternatives are mandatorily tried out first. Shoulder resurfacing (discussed below) is also an alternative to shoulder replacement, provided your shoulder conditions are suitable for such a procedure.
In shoulder resurfacing, bone spurs are removed and the joint surface is smoothened. A lot of bone is conserved in this procedure as opposed to shoulder replacement, in which the humeral head and the shoulder socket is removed and replaced with an artificial implant.
Shoulder resurfacing is generally indicated for young, active adults, who will have greater expectations or place greater demands on their body. Also, a shoulder resurfacing can always be converted to a total shoulder replacement later, if needed. Shoulder resurfacing is minimally invasive and hence recovery is faster and less painful.
But all patients with shoulder arthritis or other shoulder problems do not automatically qualify for shoulder resurfacing surgery. If the shoulder head and surrounding areas are substantially worn away or damaged because of trauma, they may be better off with shoulder replacement than shoulder surgery.
Shoulder replacement surgery in the US can cost you about $40,000, if you are paying from your own pocket. Even with insurance cover, significant co-pay is involved, making it a very expensive procedure.
But cost is not a major worry now, as many patients from the US, UK, Canada, etc., are going overseas to countries like India, Mexico, and Costa Rica for shoulder replacement surgery. The reason they are doing so is because of the incredible cost savings and the great quality of medical care available in private hospitals in Belgium, India, Mexico, and Costa Rica.
Orthopedic surgeons in Costa Rica, Mexico, India, and Belgium in tourist hospitals are board-certified and have rich experience. So, having shoulder replacement surgery abroad is just as safe as having it at home – only it’s much cheaper. Below are links to expert joint replacement surgeons from Medical Tourism Corporation’s network:
Dr Dario E Garin: Educated in the USA and Mexico, Dr Garin is an expert orthopedic surgeon from Mexico experienced in joint reconstruction and arthroscopy.
Dr. Jesus Irineo Gallarzo Ramirez: He has vast experience in joint replacement surgery and has many satisfied patients from the US.
Dr. Oscar Oeding Bermudez: A third of Dr Bermudez’s clients are medical tourists from the US, Europe, and Canada. This orthopedic surgeon from Costa Rica performs three or four surgeries per day.
Related links:
Cost of shoulder resurfacing
Rotator cuff repair abroad
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