Orthopedic Surgery In India
Are you considering orthopedic surgery in India as surgery in the US is expensive? The good news is that thousands of Americans and Canadians travel to India for surgery each year.
This guide will cover everything you’ll need to know about medical tourism in India for orthopedics.
Orthopedic Surgery in India
Traveling to India to do orthopedic surgery saves you thousands of dollars, and you get access to the best surgeons in the country.
Many of these surgeons were trained in the USA and Europe and speak English fluently. This makes India a practical solution for orthopedic patients in the USA.
Why Choose India to Do Orthopedic Surgery?
1. Surgery in India is Affordable
India offers more affordable healthcare compared to popular medical tourist destinations like Turkey, Mexico, and Spain. This is the main reason patients choose to do their knee surgery in India instead of these destinations.
The average cost of knee replacement surgery in India is around ₹1.5 lakh or $2,000. At the same time, the average cost of knee surgery in the USA is an astonishing $49,000 to $57,000. The price of surgery in the UK is slightly lower at $40,000 to $48,000.
India’s cost is considerably lower even if compared with other popular medical tourist destinations like Turkey. You can expect to pay $7,500 in Turkey for knee surgery. It is more affordable than the USA or UK, but three times higher than the cost in India.
Cost Comparison of Knee Surgery in Different Countries (USD)
| Country | Cost |
| India | $2,000 |
| Turkey | $7,500 |
| USA | $49,000 – $57,000 |
| UK | $40,000 – $48,000 |
If you have any questions regarding your orthopedic surgery in India, feel free to send us an email, and we’ll be glad to help.
2. India Is a Beautiful Place
Another reason why many patients visit India for surgery is it’s a beautiful destination to take a vacation.
If you’ve been postponing a well-deserved vacation, consider taking it before your procedure in India. It’s affordable, and you get to see beautiful places like:
3. India Offers Some of the Best Orthopedic Surgeons
While the most significant benefit of surgery in India is affordability, you’ll think that the facilities and surgeons aren’t that good. However, the complete opposite is true. India offers some of the world’s best hospitals and surgeons.
For example, Newsweek and Statista ranked Apollo Hospital as the world’s best smart hospital in 2021 for using the most advanced technologies.[1]Newsweek The World’s Best Smart Hospitals 2021 “… a list of 250 hospitals that best avail themselves of the most advanced technologies…Apollo Hospital – Chennai, India…” View in Article
Many Indian surgeons also studied and practiced in the USA, Canada, and Europe, so they speak English fluently. Those who didn’t study overseas studied in world-renowned universities in India. Some include:
- The University of Delhi
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences
- St. John’s National Academy of Health Services
It ensures that you’re surrounded by some of the world’s best surgeons when you do your operation.
Now that we’ve looked at the benefits of surgery in India, let’s see how much orthopedic surgery costs.
How Much Does Orthopedic Surgery Cost In India?
We already covered the cost of complete knee replacement surgery in India, which is around $2,000. But let’s see how much other types of orthopedic surgery cost:
- Knee replacement surgery
- Total hip replacement surgery
- Shoulder and rotator cuff surgery
- ACL surgery
If you’re doing knee replacement surgery, you’ll pay around $49,000 to $57,000 for surgery in the USA. In India, it’ll only cost $2,000.
On average, you can expect to pay around $4,000 for total hip replacement surgery in India. In the USA, you’ll pay between $23,000 and $74,000 for the same procedure.
With shoulder and rotator cuff surgery, you’ll pay around $7,200 and $8,100 in India. Compared to the USA, the same surgery costs around $20,000 but can go up to $50,000.
When doing an ACL procedure in India, you’ll only need about $2,500. In the USA, expect to pay $20,000 to $50,000.
Orthopedic Surgery Cost Comparison (USD) – USA vs. India
| Procedure | USA | India |
| Total knee replacement surgery | $49,000 – $57,000 | $2,000 |
| Total hip replacement | $23,000 – $74,000 | $4,000 |
| Shoulder and rotator cuff surgery | $20,000 – $50,000 | $7,200 – $8,100 |
| ACL surgery | $20,000 – $50,000 | $2,500 |
*Prices are subject to change. Fill our online quote form for the latest prices and specials.
- How Do I Apply For Orthopedic Surgery In India?
Applying for orthopedic surgery abroad can seem intimidating, and this causes many patients to avoid it and do surgery in their home country, where it’s more expensive.
However, preparing for a trip to India is straightforward and even fun. Here’s how to apply for orthopedic surgery in India with minimal fuss:
Step 1. Do Thorough Research
You never want to head overseas without doing extensive research about where you’ll be staying, what hospital you’re doing surgery at, and how to get around town.
The first step is to read reviews and learn about hospitals in India that specialize in orthopedic surgery. This could be via email, video call, or text message with a medical tourism expert.
Here’s your opportunity to ask them any questions you might have. Some may include:
- Do surgeons operate on medical tourists frequently?
- How long must I stay in hospital after my surgery?
- Does the hospital staff speak English?
Once you’ve spoken to several hospitals, decide which hospital you like best, depending on their answers to your questions.
During this time, it’s crucial to get an idea of how far your accommodation is to the hospital. Will you need private transport or is public transport fine? Also, how will you get around when you’re recovering?
For this reason, it’s best to live in a hotel nearest to your hospital of choice.
Step 2. Book Your Accommodation And Hospital Appointment
Once you’ve done extensive research, book a room at a nearby accommodation. It doesn’t have to be a hotel. Feel free to use a vacation rental service like Airbnb since they can be cheaper and closer to your hospital.
You’ll also need to set an appointment with your hospital. If you’re going to take a vacation before your surgery, book tickets for local tours to iconic landmarks, nature reserves, and other tourist attractions.
Step 3. Get Your Documents Ready
Once everything is set, get the necessary documentation ready. This includes:
After you’ve gathered all the necessary documents, make a copy of each one and take a picture of it with your mobile phone.
This way, you’ll always have backup papers, and in the unlikely situation where you lose your backups, you’ll have pictures on your phone.
Here Are the Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery in India
When doing surgery in India, you want to be sure that you’re in one of the best hospitals employing top surgeons in Delhi, Mumbai, or Hyderabad.
This is where researching beforehand plays a vital role in the quality of your trip. To make your life a little easier, here are some of the best hospitals to do knee replacement surgery:
Max Super Specialty Hospital
The Max Super Specialty Hospital employs some of the best orthopedic surgeons in Delhi. Many of their surgeons were trained in the USA and Canada and speak fluent English. Some of these surgeons studied at world-renowned institutions like:
- University of Oxford
- University of California
- Johns Hopkins University
This way, you know that you’re surrounded by the best knee replacement surgeons in India when you walk into the operation room.
The hospital also brings in some of the best robot-assisted technology because they always spend time and money developing quality medical equipment.
Max Hospital
Max Healthcare Hospital, located in Gurgaon, India, is a 72-bed facility that operates on thousands of medical tourists each year. Here are some surgeries they specialize in:
- Partial and total knee arthroscopy
- Hip joint resurfacing
- Shoulder replacements
- Anterior cruciate ligament or ACL reconstruction
So regardless of what type of bone surgery you need, Max Healthcare employs hundreds of professionals with decades of experience who’ll take care of you.
The modern healthcare facility also contains 12 ICU beds, 5 PICUs, 5 NICUs, and 5 cardio care beds. They also receive millions of dollars in investment capital, allowing them to invest in the best equipment and house more patients.
World-Class Orthopedic Suites in India
The hospital is located near Fun N Food Village, the Sultanpur National Park, and the Heritage Transport Museum. This makes it a great choice if you’re looking to have some fun before your procedure.
Apollo Hospital
Apollo Hospital is a healthcare facility that’s deeply connected to India’s history. It employs over 60,000 professionals and is famous for its high-quality healthcare. This makes it a popular choice for medical tourists in the USA and Canada.
Apollo built several hospitals around India. Some of these are located in Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.
This way, you can choose which city to operate in and visit breathtaking landmarks, museums, and national parks in the area.
Now that we’ve looked at the best hospitals in India to do your orthopedic surgery, let’s cover the best surgeons.
Top 10 Orthopedic Surgeons In India
1. Dr. Anil Arora
Dr. Anil Arora is the Principal Director of Max Healthcare’s orthopedic and joint replacement department.
He is one of the best knee replacement surgeons in Delhi and has been performing orthopedic surgery for over 20 years.
2. Dr. J Maheshwari
Dr. J Maheshwari is a knee and shoulder replacement specialist and has over 35 years of experience in orthopedics.
He performed over 500 knee surgeries and is an expert at knee preservation surgery.
3. Dr. H.N. Bajaj
With over 25 years of orthopedic surgery experience, Dr. H.N. Bajaj has worked for Max Healthcare since 2007 as Head of Spinal Surgery.
He studied at Kasturba Medical College in India and received a diploma in orthopedics.
4. Dr. Ramneek Mahajan
Dr. Ramneek Mahajan has over 20 years of experience operating on medical tourists who need knee replacement surgery.
He is the Senior Director of Orthopedics at Max Healthcare and completed over 5,000 joint replacements and 30,000 orthopedic surgeries.
5. Dr. Vikas Gupta
Dr. Vikas Gupta received several prestigious awards like the Best Paper Award for wrist arthroscopy in 2004.
He’s also the first surgeon to perform wrist replacement surgery in India. He has completed over 6,000 complex hand surgeries.
6. Dr. Ashish Jain
Dr. Ashish Jain worked at Fortis Healthcare for three years, doing joint reconstruction surgery before moving to Max Healthcare.
Here he’s Director of Orthopedics and mainly focuses on joint replacement surgery.
7. Dr. Lavindra Tomar
With over 25 years of experience in orthopedic surgery, Dr. Lavindra Tomar is one of the best surgeons in Delhi.
He went through extensive training in the latest technology and used this machinery to perform complex hip and knee replacements.
8. Dr. Ashish Mittal
Dr. Ashish Mittal also worked at Fortis Healthcare and took part in health and awareness camps.
He specializes in orthopedic surgery and is the Associate Director at Max Healthcare with over 20 years of experience in joint replacement.
9. Dr. Balvinder Rana
Dr. Balvinder Rana has been an orthopedic and joint surgeon for over 20 years.
He specializes in foot and ankle surgery and helps hundreds of medical patients with bone surgery every year.
10. Dr. Chandeep Singh
Dr. Chandeep Singh works at the Max Hospital in Gurgaon and specializes in orthopedic and joint replacement.
He’s been in the orthopedic field since 2005 and has completed thousands of hip and knee replacements.
Orthopedic Surgery in India – Patient Reviews
Knee Replacement Surgery – Iraqi Patient Testimonial
Knee Replacement Surgery – US Patient Testimonial
How To Get Around In India
When you arrive in India, you’ll have a few transport options:
- A ride-hailing service like Uber
- Bus
- Rented car
Navigating India might seem intimidating, but India contains big cities with effective transport options that allow you to get around with minimal hassle.
Consider taking the bus to explore a big city like Delhi, Mumbai, or Bangalore. Most Indian buses accommodate those with wheelchairs and crutches.
You can go to the nearest bus station and buy a monthly ticket for a few dollars.
It allows you to travel as much as you want for an affordable price.
Avoid government-owned intercity buses as they may be crowded.
However, a private bus service like that from Volvo can be comfortable to use.
You could also opt for an Uber or rent a car.
Uber is quite affordable, and they’ll help after your surgery if you’re in a wheelchair or need crutches.
Renting a car is also a practical choice for those with minor operations.
But if you’re getting knee or hip surgery, this may not be feasible.
Conclusion
Doing orthopedic surgery in the USA, Canada, or the UK can cost over ten times more than India. That’s why thousands of patients travel to India each year for affordable surgery. You also get access to some of the best orthopedic surgeons in the world.
If you have any questions about your trip to India, feel free to send us an email, and we’ll be glad to help out.
Reference
1.Newsweek: The World’s Best Smart Hospitals 2021
