Hip Replacement Surgery

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
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Cabarete
I would recommend that you do that kind of surgery in the US if possible. If you don't already have insurance here in the DR, keep in mind that companies will not cover pre-existing conditions.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
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Go to Miami if your insurance will cover it. Plenty of great surgeons there.
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
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From what I have heard, you get simple and routine procedures/treatments done here. Anything the requires advanced skills /experience, complicated treatments or has the potential to affect quality of life for a long time to come, you get done somewhere else even if it costs more.

I also hear that there are some really good doctors here but they may not have access to the best technology or after care professionals. Finding the best (or at least the highly competent) with the best is not always easy in this country.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
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You also have to consider that with an operation like this you need a good anesthesiologist. This can go bad quickly in any operation.
 

DR_Guy

Bronze
Feb 17, 2010
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48
Got rekt by a motorcycle. Went to Juan Bosch. Asked the Dr if he could have the surgery in the US, what would he do. Yup, he said do the surgery in the USA. BTW they only do the surgery, you have to get your own replacement parts. At least that was the way it was 5 years ago. Glad I went to USA.
 
Apr 10, 2014
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Any ideas or suggestions? My insurance is US based, but I thought I'd price out the RD version.

Hip replacement is major surgery. Do not risk the consequences by having this type of surgery done in the D.R. so you can save money. You also have to take into consideration the physical therapy and rehab that is crucial after the surgery.
 

GringoRubio

Bronze
Oct 15, 2015
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Right, thanks the advice. I'm definitely in the learning phase, but I suspect that it's in my future within a few years.
 

pularvik

Active member
Jan 2, 2011
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Ok,- here it comes,----- I not only have had one hip replaced in the DR,- I have had 2! And I was a registered nurse in my working life. So I understand medicine.

I fractured the first hip when I tripped over my puppy. I got a hip replacement in Santa Domingo at Plaza De Salud. Then a year later my other hip just collapsed due to severe osteoporosis. I got that hip replaced at HOMS in Santiago.

If you have a fractured hip you will be operated on here unless you have insurance to cover a medivac as you could never tolerate a regular flight. You are in severe pain and you cannot walk!

My surgeries were successful,- I would send any member of my family to either surgeon. I have also had 2 cataract surgeries and a face lift. May husband was in the ICU at Cedimat in SD for 7 days and they literally saved his life.

If you want to get treated in the USA or your country of origin you have the right to do that but I resent people making blanket statements that you should go elsewhere for your medical needs.
 

sabra

New member
Jun 16, 2007
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......."You also have to take into consideration the physical therapy and rehab that is crucial after the surgery."

yes, this is so important .My operation because of medial formal fracture left and implantation of a new hip same side
has been in July this year in a clinic in my home city in Germany (the accident happened in Sicily). Very soon after the operation I have been for 3 weeks in a Reha clinic near my home city. I continue the physical therapy in a Reha Center between Cabarete and Sosua, they do a good job.
 

DR_Guy

Bronze
Feb 17, 2010
891
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Ok,- here it comes,----- I not only have had one hip replaced in the DR,- I have had 2! And I was a registered nurse in my working life. So I understand medicine.

I fractured the first hip when I tripped over my puppy. I got a hip replacement in Santa Domingo at Plaza De Salud. Then a year later my other hip just collapsed due to severe osteoporosis. I got that hip replaced at HOMS in Santiago.

If you have a fractured hip you will be operated on here unless you have insurance to cover a medivac as you could never tolerate a regular flight. You are in severe pain and you cannot walk!

My surgeries were successful,- I would send any member of my family to either surgeon. I have also had 2 cataract surgeries and a face lift. May husband was in the ICU at Cedimat in SD for 7 days and they literally saved his life.

If you want to get treated in the USA or your country of origin you have the right to do that but I resent people making blanket statements that you should go elsewhere for your medical needs.

Ummm. Your wrong. My ball part of the femur was broken completely off during a Rally Frontera in Costanza and my insurance company arranged for me to fly out in first class the next day. The pain was not intolerable. The Drs. at Juan Bosch trauma center recommended I get it done in the USA. Just because you had two successful operations doesnt mean someone who can get it done in the USA should do it here. There are lots of potential complications with this surgery as you know. Also when I had mine, I had the relatively new surgery where it is replaced through the front, so there is no rehabilitation as no muscles are cut. I was back at work at Barrick within 7 days. I dont believe that surgery could have been done in the DR IMHO.
 

keepcoming

Moderator - Living & General Stuff
May 25, 2011
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Everyone has or can have different results regardless where you have the surgery done. When I had my knee surgery done I had it done in the USA. Not so much because I was worried about medical care here in the DR, it was more due to having family near and it was more convenient. I say research your options, talk to some surgeons and go with what/where your comfortable with.
 
Jan 17, 2009
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I had hip surgery in the US many years ago Would not have had it done here. Research it. One of the most important things to prevent during, and after surgery, is an infection of the replaced joint. It's rare in the US, for still happens, so I can't imagine how bad it could be in less developed countries. In my research, aside from a good ortho surgeon, infection was high up everywhere, and more so, that orthopedic surgeons here use specially sterilized operating rooms for orthopedic surgery.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
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I had hip surgery in the US many years ago Would not have had it done here. Research it. One of the most important things to prevent during, and after surgery, is an infection of the replaced joint. It's rare in the US, for still happens, so I can't imagine how bad it could be in less developed countries. In my research, aside from a good ortho surgeon, infection was high up everywhere, and more so, that orthopedic surgeons here use specially sterilized operating rooms for orthopedic surgery.
Infections are not as rare in the US as you may think, specifically MRSA infections involving oprthopedic procedures.

I'm not aware of stats of hospital-based infections in the DR.
 

JusMe

New member
Aug 26, 2018
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Can't comment about medical care in DR, but I know when I was living in Thailand, I could get the best care I felt anywhere. And I was able to take receipts for care up to surgery back to Canada with me and get reimbursed up to an equivalent cost on a grid that it would have cost in Canada. Obviously, US costs would be exorbitant, so that wouldn't have been an option for me, but I absolutely did get top quality care at a lower cost, which I was able to recover, when in Thailand. I'd assume DR would be similar, and one would need to check out the specific care before committing to it.

Dental care I found in Thailand was exceptional. I had my main dentist in Bangkok and had many crowns done at an incredibly lower cost than I'd have paid in Canada. Knew of some German tourists who paid for their entire two month vacation in Chiang Mai with the savings in dental costs over what it would have cost them in Germany.

Do your research, talk to relevant people, and best of care for you.