Surgical treatment of avascular necrosis in Costa Rica can be an effective cost-saving option for people dealing with the effects of this debilitating bone disease. Medical tourism in Costa Rica is a growing concern. According to an article published on August 27, 2012 in the Tico Times, Costa Rica’s English-language newspaper, the industry” generated about $288 million in Costa Rica in 2010, with an estimated 36,000 medical tourists visiting.”
What is Avascular Necrosis?
Avascular necrosis – also known as osteonecrosis, aseptic necrosis and AVN – is a condition in which bone cell death occurs due to reduced blood flow. Avascular necrosis is most common in the hips, knees, shoulders and ankles. Left untreated, the affected bones and joints will slowly break down, which can cause arthritis, severe pain, and limited mobility.
A related condition known as osteomyelitis refers to a biological infection of the bone tissue or marrow. Chronic osteomyelitis may require surgical treatment similar to AVN.
Surgical Treatment Options for Osteonecrosis in Costa Rica
Patients who travel for AVN treatment in Costa Rica have many options available to them, including:
- full or partial hip replacement
- core decompression (surgery to increase blood flow to the bone)
- osteotomy (surgery to reduce stress on the bone)
- bone graft (transplant from another part of the body)
There are many factors which will determine what option is best for you, including age, overall fitness/activity level, the extent of the disease and the cost of the treatment. Due to this last factor many patients are looking into cost-saving treatments in medical tourism hubs such as Costa Rica. For people without insurance, or with prohibitively high co-pays, the lower cost of avascular necrosis surgery treatments in Costa Rica can help ensure that their options are dictated by medical, rather than economic, exigencies.
Alternatives to treatment of avascular necrosis with hip surgery in Costa Rica include hip resurfacing surgery in India and hip replacement in Turkey.
About Avascular Necrosis Treatment in Costa Rica
Though typically associated with dental and cosmetic procedures, the reduced cost of avascular necrosis surgery in Costa Rica now has people visiting the country for osteopathic procedures as well. Avascular necrosis surgery prices in Costa Rica vary by facility, though some patients can save as much as 50%.
Patients who travel for AVN or osteomyelitis treatment in Costa Rica typically find Costa Rican hospitals to be as clean, modern and technologically advanced as their American counterparts. The country has significantly expanded its healthcare infrastructure in recent years, and many of Costa Rica’s doctors have received training abroad.
Costa Rica Travel Tips
Most people who travel for treatment of avascular necrosis with hip surgery in Costa Rica find the country to be easy to navigate and very accommodating to tourists. Here are some tips to help you plan your trip:
- As opposed to other international surgical options for AVN, such as hip replacement in India, treatment for aseptic necrosis in Costa Rica is only a few hour’s plane ride away from most major US cities.
- Costa Rica’s currency is known as the Colón. Spanish is the official language, though many people in the medical and tourist industries speak some English.
- Capital city San José is both the most common point of entry for international tourists, and home to many of the doctors specializing in surgical treatment of avascular necrosis in Costa Rica.
- Costa Rica’s diverse geography includes beaches, rainforests and mountains; temperatures vary accordingly, so be sure to pack appropriate clothes depending on what you plan on doing.
Your trip for treatment of avascular necrosis of hip in Costa Rica can also include sampling some of the world’s best coffee or visiting the country’s white sand beaches and luxury hot springs spas. Although recovery time for osteopathic surgery can be lengthy, the Costa Rican government has, according to an article by Luis Fernando Astorga Gatjens published on the webzine Disability World, has taken measures to “improve accessibility at important national parks and protected wildlife areas,” which should ease traveling after your procedure.
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons estimates that “10,000 to 20,000 people in the US develop osteonecrosis each year.” Surgical treatment of avascular necrosis in Costa Rica may be a good choice for those looking to improve their quality of life at a reduced cost.
Medical Tourism Corporation facilitates avascular necrosis treatment in Costa Rica. Fill out the free quote request using the form on this page for more information.
