THE NEED FOR HIP RESURFACING

Your hip is a ball and socket joint. Both the ball and socket are covered by a protective layer of cartilage which makes the joint smooth and hip movements swift.

Any condition that damages this cartilage leads to pain, dysfunction and eventually arthritis. Injury, infection, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and bone dysplasias are some reasons that can cause damage to this cartilage thereby necessitating a hip resurfacing surgery.

Traditionally, such issues have been addressed by a total hip replacement (THR) which is a surgery to replace the hip joint by a prosthetic implant. A THR removes part of your healthy bone so the implant can be fixed deeply into the femoral bone. Patients also have certain movement restrictions following a THR surgery.

By contrast, resurfacing, which is a less invasive bone-preserving technology, replaces only the worn, diseased and damaged surfaces of the hip joint, and places an all-metal "ball and socket" implant in the hip joint. Resurfacing allows return to normal and sporting activities post-surgery, reduces the risk of dislocation and makes revision easy (if at all needed).

These reasons make hip resurfacing more favourable over hip replacement in certain specific cases. The anatomy and bio-mechanics after resurfacing mimic a normal hip very closely making it an ideal choice for young or more active patients with non-inflammatory degenerative hip joint disease.

HOW IS A HIP RESURFACING SURGERY PERFORMED?

After separating the femur or thigh bone from the hip socket, your surgeon reshapes the head of the femur. Next, the diseased bone and cartilage are removed from the hip socket.

Then, the implant, which comprises of two parts – the metal shell component for the hip socket, and the metal ball component with a short stem for the thigh bone, is placed.

First, the metal shell implant is firmly pressed onto the hip socket. After this the surgeon drills a hole in the femur (so the stem of the femur implant can be fitted into it), fills the metal ball component with bone cement, and fits the ball on top of the thigh bone with its stem into the drilled hole.

Finally, the femur with its new metal head and the hip socket with its new metal shell are put together to form a new resurfaced ball and socket hip joint that looks and functions like a normal hip.

HIP RESUFACING SURGERY AND INDIA

In India, hip surgeons have been practicing the hip resurfacing procedure for over a decade while orthopaedic surgeons in most of the rest of the world are still new to this procedure.

In the United States, for instance, where this procedure is still not commonly performed, FDA approved the first hip resurfacing system only in 2006. It is no wonder then that surgeons in India are much more experienced in this procedure than their counterparts in America.

Today, the majority of hip resurfacing operations are performed in India on Indian as well as foreign patients. Each year thousands of hip resurfacing medical tourists from all across the globe head to India to not only be in safe hands but also enjoy a tremendous amount of savings.

You can find top hip resurfacing hospitals in India that are Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited. Additionally, several of the best Indian orthopaedic doctors are also either educated or trained internationally.

Hip resurfacing costs about USD8000* in India. This is so less compared to what U.S. hospitals charge for the same kind of service and quality that you can bring a companion along, spend on sightseeing and still save thousands of dollars.

* Note: Price is inclusive of hospital, doctor, surgery and physical therapy fees. Price is exclusive of air fares, lodging and boarding outside the hospital, sightseeing and other related costs. Price indicated is for rough planning purposes only and may vary due to currency fluctuations or other reasons.

OVERSEAS PATIENT TO INDIA FOR HIP RESURFACING

Richard, who hails from California, USA, had been suffering from osteoarthritis in his hips for a long time but was unable to get surgery in the United States, earlier because of unavailability of the procedure in the country and later because of the extravagant price tag it came at.

Facilitated by Healthbase, Richard had both his hips resurfaced through bilateral hip resurfacing surgery at Wockhardt Hospitals (now Fortis Hospital) in Mumbai, India, 3 years ago.

Being an avid sportsperson that he was, barely 12 weeks after his hip surgeries, Richard returned to snorkelling in the sunny Southern Californian beaches. In the past, Richard had problems walking from his car to his front door.

MEDICAL TRAVEL TIPS FOR HIP RESURFACING PATIENTS

Here are the top 5 things every medical tourist needs to do or remember for a successful medical travel trip:
1. Verify the credentials of the foreign doctor treating you.
2. Don't let cost be the driving factor; focus on quality.
3. Keep your local doctor in the loop.
4. Don't keep your trip too short; allow time for recuperation as well as sightseeing.
5. Engage the services of a medical travel facilitator like Healthbase. These are specialized medical travel agents that connect you with the hospital of your choice while providing all or some other valuable concierge services like detailed information about various procedures, detailed hospital profiles and surgeon profiles, medical records transfer, free surgery quote, pre- and post-consultation with the overseas hospital, feedback and testimonials from previous patients, medical and dental loan financing, passport and visa acquisition, airport pick-up and drop-off, hospital escort, tickets, travel insurance, hotel booking, sightseeing services in the destination country, etc.

Connect to top hip resurfacing surgeons

Hip resurfacing has been practiced in India for several years, almost as many years as the birth of the procedure itself. As such, India boasts of surgeons who have experience performing thousands of hip resurfacing surgeries on both Indian patients as well as foreign patients from countries such as the United States, Canada, Europe, Middle East, etc.

India is also one of the most popular medical tourism destinations in the world. Factors working towards this popularity / desirability are:

• great price differential resulting from lower cost of labor
• internationally accredited facilities having state-of-the-art technologies in 5-star hotel-type settings
• lower communication barriers as English is widely spoken
• experienced surgeons and medical teams that are trained or educated overseas
• variety of recuperation retreats

Hip resurfacing in India is offered at several hospitals that are JCI accredited. Some of the examples are:

• Apollo Hospitals: Apollo Hospital Group is the largest private healthcare group in Asia. In India, it has several branches all over the country, like in Chennai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Goa, Kolkata, etc., several of which are JCI accredited. Meet Healthbase hip resurfacing patients who have received treatment at Apollo Hospitals.
• Wockhardt Hospitals: Wockhardt Hospitals Group consists of super specialty medical centers spread across India. It has got branches in major cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Kolkata, etc. Meet Healthbase hip resurfacing patients who have received treatment at Wockhard Hospitals.

Today, the best and top hip resurfacing surgeons in the world are based in India. Examples of these world acclaimed surgeons are:

• Dr. Vijay Bose
• Dr. Kaushal Malhan
• Dr. Yash Gulati
• Dr. Sanjiv KS Marya

Click the links above to learn more about them.

GET FREE QUOTE FOR HIP RESURFACING IN INDIA
Call 1-888-691-4584 or visit Healthbase to find out the cost of hip resurfacing in India or to find out the cost of any other procedure. Alternatively, please provide the following information in the comment box below and hit the “Submit” button:

• *Name
• *Email id
• *Phone
• *Procedure desired
• Preferred destination
• Any other comments

Note: The fields marked with * above are mandatory.

Belgium is one of the highly sought-after destinations in Europe for hip resurfacing. This is mainly due to its geographical proximity from other European countries as well as from North America. From the United States and Canada, for example, the flight times are considerably reduced when traveling to Belgium compared to traveling to countries in Asia. This results in greater comfort and convenience especially for orthopedic patients such as those seeking hip resurfacing in Belgium.

Although Belgium is not as affordable as some of the other medical tourism destinations in the world, the price differential is still quite favorable compared to the United States. And, the virtually zero waiting time is what attracts patients from countries such as Canada and UK. And, for patients from Africa and the Middle East it is the latest and modern technologies in Belgium that is attractive.

Belgium also offers several recuperation retreats that patients can take advantage of before or after their surgery.

The best known hip resurfacing surgeon in Belgium is probably Dr. Koen de Smet. Check out Dr. de Smet’s full profile. Dr. de Smet has experience treating not only European patients from neighboring countries but also English-speaking patients from the US and Canada. Contact Healthbase to learn about Healthbase hip resurfacing patients who have been treated by Dr. de Smet.

Some of the hospitals offering affordable hip resurfacing in Belgium are:

• AMC Gent Hospital
• ANCA Hip Clinic

GET FREE QUOTE FOR HIP RESURFACING IN BELGIUM
Call 1-888-691-4584 or visit Healthbase to find out the cost of hip resurfacing in Belgium or to find out the cost of any other procedure. Alternatively, please provide the following information in the comment box below and hit the “Submit” button:

• *Name
• *Email id
• *Phone
• *Procedure desired
• Preferred destination
• Any other comments

Note: The fields marked with * above are mandatory.

The first hip resurfacing system that was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System (BHR) that is made by Smith & Nephew Inc. of Memphis, TN. The system was approved in May 2006.

A year later, in July 2007, FDA approved Corin Group’s Cormet hip resurfacing implant for sale in the United States.

In November 2009, Wright Medical Group Inc.’s Conserve Plus system for bone-saving hip-resurfacing surgery also received the approval of the Food and Drug Administration.

So today, there are 3 companies that have the FDA’s approval to sell hip resurfacing systems in the US.

The hip resurfacing system relieves hip pain and improves hip function by replacing the parts of your hip that have been severely damaged by degenerative joint diseases. Those degenerative joint diseases include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

In the hip resurfacing system, the cap moves within the cup. The surfaces that rub against each other (the bearing couple) are made from highly polished metal.

The hip resurfacing system is intended for patients who, due to their relatively younger age or increased activity level, may not be suitable for traditional total hip replacement due to an increased possibility of requiring future hip joint revision.

GET FREE QUOTE FOR HIP RESURFACING SURGERY
To request a FREE cost estimate for hip resurfacing surgery or any procedure please provide the following information in the comment box below and hit the “Submit” button:

• *Name
• *Email id
• *Phone
• *Procedure desired
• Preferred destination
• Any other comments

Note: The fields marked with * above are mandatory.

The cost of Birmingham Hip Resurfacing surgery in the United States is estimated at about $48,000*. Based on the terms of your health insurance policy, it may or may not be covered by your insurance plan.

Healthbase offers a large network of partner hospitals that offer the best Hip Resurfacing surgery abroad at an affordable price. For example,

• Birmingham Hip Resurfacing in India costs only about $7,000* at a JCI accredited hospital.
• The cost of Birmingham Resurfacing in Thailand is about $10,000*.
• The cost of Hip Resurfacing in Singapore is about $14,000*.

Contact Healthbase to request cost comparison of hip resurfacing surgery in various other countries.

* Note: The above costs are for rough planning purposes only. The actual costs may vary depending upon your specific medical conditions, currency fluctuations or due to any other reasons. Please register or log in to Healthbase to get a FREE personalized price estimate. Alternatively, provide the following information in the comment box below and hit the “Submit” button:

• *Name
• *Email id
• *Phone
• *Procedure desired
• Preferred destination
• Any other comments

Note: The fields marked with * above are mandatory.

Some of the more acclaimed hip resurfacing surgeons are:

• Dr. Vijay C. Bose
  Dr. Bose is one of the most experienced hip resurfacing surgeons in India. He has performed:
  • 1000+ Hip Resurfacing operations on patients from India, USA, Canada, Singapore and UK and have the largest series of hip resurfacings for AVN, coxa vara & Ankylosing spondylitis in the world.
  • The youngest patient to undergo Hip Resurfacing by Dr.Bose is 14 years old. The oldest male patient was 73 years old and the oldest female patient 70 years old.
  • 550+ Total Hip Replacements
  • 500+ Total Knee Replacements

  Full bio of Dr. Vijay Bose

• Dr. Kaushal Malhan
  Dr. Malhan is a hip resurfacing surgeon in India. Dr. Kaushal Malhan who specializes in knee, hip and shoulder surgeries, pioneered and popularized hip resurfacing surgery in India. Dr. Malhan has performed the highest number of Birmingham hip resurfacings in Mumbai, India. Recently, Dr. Malhan was selected from amongst India’s joint replacement and resurfacing surgeons to lecture on hip resurfacing for an audience of North American doctors.
  Full bio of Dr. Kaushal Malhan

• Dr. Koen de Smet
  Dr. de Smet is a hip resurfacing surgeon in Belgium. His subspecialties include:
  • Hip resurfacing
  • Primary and revision hip surgery
  • Open dislocations of hip, Ganz osteotomy of the hip

  Full bio of Dr. Koen de Smet

RELATED LINKS

• More hip resurfacing doctors
• Hip resurfacing surgery cost

GET FREE QUOTE FOR SURGERY
To request a FREE quote for any procedure please provide the following information in the comment box below and hit the “Submit” button:

• *Name
• *Email id
• *Phone
• *Procedure desired
• Preferred destination
• Any other comments

Note: The fields marked with * above are mandatory.

The Birmingham Hip Resurfacing implant has been in use around the world since 1997 and has since been implanted more than 60,000 times. Hip resurfacing has been practiced in countries such as India, Belgium, Singapore, Thailand, etc. for many years but is new to the United States, where it was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in only May 2006. As a novel procedure, it demands an experienced surgeon who can thoroughly understand the responsibility of performing hip resurfacing on young active patients.

Not just that, the cost of the surgery overseas is many times less compared to the US making Hip Resurfacing in India or Hip Resurfacing in Belgium or Turkey or in other low labor cost countries more affordable and attractive than in the US.

Check out medical tourism for hip resurfacing surgery overseas for more information on the cost and quality of this hip procedure as is practiced abroad.

GET FREE QUOTE FOR SURGERY
To request a FREE quote for any procedure please provide the following information in the comment box below and hit the “Submit” button:

• *Name
• *Email id
• *Phone
• *Procedure desired
• Preferred destination
• Any other comments

Note: The fields marked with * above are mandatory.

Following are the stories of some of the hundreds of Healthbase patients who have had their Hip Resurfacing Surgery overseas:

Kathie T – Birmingham Hip Resurfacing Surgery in India

Carol W – Birmingham Hip Resurfacing Surgery in India

Richard P – Bilateral Birmingham Hip Resurfacing Surgery in India

RELATED LINKS

• More hip resurfacing patient testimonials
• News coverage of Healthbase hip resurfacing patients
• Hip resurfacing cost
• Medical Tourism

GET FREE QUOTE FOR SURGERY
To request a FREE quote for any procedure please provide the following information in the comment box below and hit the “Submit” button:

• *Name
• *Email id
• *Phone
• *Procedure desired
• Preferred destination
• Any other comments

Note: The fields marked with * above are mandatory.

The following device manufacturers make the hip resurfacing implant:

• Smith & Nephew
  Implant: Birmingham Hip Resurfacing system BHR
• Johnson & Johnson
  Implant: DEPUY ASR Articular Surface Replacement
• Wright Medical Technology
  Implant: CONSERVE hip resurfacing implant
• Corin Group (Stryker)
  Implant: Cormet Hip Resurfacing System
• Biomet
  Implant: ReCap Femoral Resurfacing Head
• Zimmer
  Implant: Durom Hip Resurfacing implant
• Finsbury
  Implant: ADEPT Resurfacing Hip
• International Orthopaedics
  Implant: ICON Hip Resurfacing Implant

RELATED LINKS

• See a full review of these hip resurfacing implants and their manufacturers
• Medical Tourism
• Hip resurfacing surgeons

GET FREE QUOTE FOR SURGERY
To request a FREE quote for any procedure please provide the following information in the comment box below and hit the “Submit” button:

• *Name
• *Email id
• *Phone
• *Procedure desired
• Preferred destination
• Any other comments

Note: The fields marked with * above are mandatory.