Looking for recommendations or any info about doctors and hospitals to have a total knee replacement. Also costs involved.

Especially would like to hear from anyone that had a replacement in CM.

Thanks all.

I had a TKR done three years ago and have had zero problems since. Recovery was uneventful with little discomfort. I did, however, have it done in BKK. The reason being the doctors and hospitals here did not do computer assisted TKR surgery and Vejthani Hospital in BKK does. Further, Dr. Sundee who is highly regarded here in CNX put me onto Dr. Chumroonkiat at Vejthani. Total price out the door was around 340,000 baht.

I had a TKR done three years ago and have had zero problems since. Recovery was uneventful with little discomfort. I did, however, have it done in BKK. The reason being the doctors and hospitals here did not do computer assisted TKR surgery and Vejthani Hospital in BKK does. Further, Dr. Sundee who is highly regarded here in CNX put me onto Dr. Chumroonkiat at Vejthani. Total price out the door was around 340,000 baht.

Are they good for life time. I had heard years ago only 15 years.

But I am sure science has marched on sense then.

I had a TKR done three years ago and have had zero problems since. Recovery was uneventful with little discomfort. I did, however, have it done in BKK. The reason being the doctors and hospitals here did not do computer assisted TKR surgery and Vejthani Hospital in BKK does. Further, Dr. Sundee who is highly regarded here in CNX put me onto Dr. Chumroonkiat at Vejthani. Total price out the door was around 340,000 baht.

Are they good for life time. I had heard years ago only 15 years.

But I am sure science has marched on sense then.

I was told the same. Take care of it and it should be good for 20 years. Run on it and get maybe 10.

I had a TKR done three years ago and have had zero problems since. Recovery was uneventful with little discomfort. I did, however, have it done in BKK. The reason being the doctors and hospitals here did not do computer assisted TKR surgery and Vejthani Hospital in BKK does. Further, Dr. Sundee who is highly regarded here in CNX put me onto Dr. Chumroonkiat at Vejthani. Total price out the door was around 340,000 baht.

Thanks for the info Sojorner. The replacement would be for my Thai wife. We saw Dr. Sundee the other night - waited over 3 hrs to get in to see him - busy doc. Before he talks to us about the replacement, wife needs to see Hemotologist (she has thalysemia - blood disease) and also a rheumatologist (she has rheumatoid arthritis). So, she may not be a candadite for knee replacement She's in so much pain, she's willing to risk almost anything.

Dr Chanakarn Phornphutkul

Orthopaedic Surgeon

407/2 Charoenprathet Road

Tel 053 204545

Assistant Professor

Instructor,Sports medicine and Trauma unit,

Department of Orthopedics,

Faculty of Medicine,

Chiangmai University,

Chiangmai,Thailand

He does surgery at Rajavet Hospital (I believe his parents own it), but his clinic is along Charoenprathet Road.

I had a TKR done three years ago and have had zero problems since. Recovery was uneventful with little discomfort. I did, however, have it done in BKK. The reason being the doctors and hospitals here did not do computer assisted TKR surgery and Vejthani Hospital in BKK does. Further, Dr. Sundee who is highly regarded here in CNX put me onto Dr. Chumroonkiat at Vejthani. Total price out the door was around 340,000 baht.

Thanks for the info Sojorner. The replacement would be for my Thai wife. We saw Dr. Sundee the other night - waited over 3 hrs to get in to see him - busy doc. Before he talks to us about the replacement, wife needs to see Hemotologist (she has thalysemia - blood disease) and also a rheumatologist (she has rheumatoid arthritis). So, she may not be a candadite for knee replacement She's in so much pain, she's willing to risk almost anything.

You should ask the doctors about preoperative iron therapy and possibly maximising her red cell count beforehand in this way.

Blood loss is not such a problem during the surgery as a tourniquet will be applied but afterwards they should insert one or two drains which if there is any bleeding can then be given back to your wife. See here.

I wish you both all the best.

Edited October 30, 201114 yr by smokie36

Thanks Smokie. Now that you mentioned this, Dr Sudtee did mention something about blood drainage after surgery. I mentioned to him that the wife and I have same blood type and if he thinkgs she will need a transfusion during/after surgery, I would donate my blood ahead of schedule. Wife is having second thoughts about undergoing surgery - she's 65 and doesn't want to "go" yet.

Thanks Smokie. Now that you mentioned this, Dr Sudtee did mention something about blood drainage after surgery. I mentioned to him that the wife and I have same blood type and if he thinkgs she will need a transfusion during/after surgery, I would donate my blood ahead of schedule. Wife is having second thoughts about undergoing surgery - she's 65 and doesn't want to "go" yet.

From the sounds of things her leg being in constant pain the op will be worth the risk. I would say if she delays her general health will worsen due to the disability caused by the knee.

Better to have it done soon and reap the benefits!

An injection in the hand....one in the back and bring an ipod to listen to for an hour or so and the op will be done.

Thanks Smokie. Now that you mentioned this, Dr Sudtee did mention something about blood drainage after surgery. I mentioned to him that the wife and I have same blood type and if he thinkgs she will need a transfusion during/after surgery, I would donate my blood ahead of schedule. Wife is having second thoughts about undergoing surgery - she's 65 and doesn't want to "go" yet.

From the sounds of things her leg being in constant pain the op will be worth the risk. I would say if she delays her general health will worsen due to the disability caused by the knee.

Better to have it done soon and reap the benefits!

An injection in the hand....one in the back and bring an ipod to listen to for an hour or so and the op will be done.

About 340,000 Baht for a one hour operation? I thought we were talking about Thailand not America.

Thanks Smokie. Now that you mentioned this, Dr Sudtee did mention something about blood drainage after surgery. I mentioned to him that the wife and I have same blood type and if he thinkgs she will need a transfusion during/after surgery, I would donate my blood ahead of schedule. Wife is having second thoughts about undergoing surgery - she's 65 and doesn't want to "go" yet.

From the sounds of things her leg being in constant pain the op will be worth the risk. I would say if she delays her general health will worsen due to the disability caused by the knee.

Better to have it done soon and reap the benefits!

An injection in the hand....one in the back and bring an ipod to listen to for an hour or so and the op will be done.

About 340,000 Baht for a one hour operation? I thought we were talking about Thailand not America.

A year before my TKR I had a visit with an ortho at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago. The hospital quoted $30,000 and that was discounted because I was going to pay cash. It's still a bargain in LOS.

Thanks Smokie. Now that you mentioned this, Dr Sudtee did mention something about blood drainage after surgery. I mentioned to him that the wife and I have same blood type and if he thinkgs she will need a transfusion during/after surgery, I would donate my blood ahead of schedule. Wife is having second thoughts about undergoing surgery - she's 65 and doesn't want to "go" yet.

From the sounds of things her leg being in constant pain the op will be worth the risk. I would say if she delays her general health will worsen due to the disability caused by the knee.

Better to have it done soon and reap the benefits!

An injection in the hand....one in the back and bring an ipod to listen to for an hour or so and the op will be done.

About 340,000 Baht for a one hour operation? I thought we were talking about Thailand not America.

It is likely the very expensive part comes from America...if not Germany or Switzerland,,part could be 250K+.

Thanks Smokie. Now that you mentioned this, Dr Sudtee did mention something about blood drainage after surgery. I mentioned to him that the wife and I have same blood type and if he thinkgs she will need a transfusion during/after surgery, I would donate my blood ahead of schedule. Wife is having second thoughts about undergoing surgery - she's 65 and doesn't want to "go" yet.

From the sounds of things her leg being in constant pain the op will be worth the risk. I would say if she delays her general health will worsen due to the disability caused by the knee.

Better to have it done soon and reap the benefits!

An injection in the hand....one in the back and bring an ipod to listen to for an hour or so and the op will be done.

About 340,000 Baht for a one hour operation? I thought we were talking about Thailand not America.

A year before my TKR I had a visit with an ortho at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago. The hospital quoted $30,000 and that was discounted because I was going to pay cash. It's still a bargain in LOS.

Get real guys. Orthopedic surgery is very expensive. A friend of mine had surgery 2 years ago at the University of California at Irvine. He had bone spurs on C5 and C6 that were choking off his spinal cord. 2 hours under the knife. Cost: US $230,000.00! He was insured but they only paid a small portion of the bill- about US $65,000.00 . In the end he filed bankruptcy in order to save his house from being attached. What's that - about 57,500 Baht per minute?

About 340,000 Baht for a one hour operation? I thought we were talking about Thailand not America.

Surgeons bill anaesthetists bill hospital bill implant costs physiotherapy.....its a total bargain at that price really.

For what it is worth I have had both my Knees replaced at the Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok under Dr. Panya. Excellent work with no real problems and a lot less than 350,000 TBaht. Just make sure that you get the joint you want, there are different types and the Asian joint has more flexibility than the European one, I have one of each, the Asian one was not available when I had the first one done, and the Euro one does not allow so much bending making it more difficult to do simple things like cutting toe nails. All saying that I have no regrets and recommend it to anyone who needs it.

There is a very good thread about knee replacement in the medicail section. The paitient reserched a few hospitals and finally had the surgery done at a military hospital in Nakon Sawan for 65,000baht. Same Dr. preformed the surgery who would have done it at a private hospital for 340,000baht. Good luck to you and keep us informed to the outcome.

Reread my post and you will see I had the computer assisted surgery done which brought the alignment of my prostetic to almost perfect, my leg length also a match to my other leg too. The traditional surgery is cheaper because they use a mechanical frame to line up the cuts to the bones and the placement of the new joint. A one or two degree misalignment can bring a lot of discomfort to the recipient.

Edited October 31, 201114 yr by Sojourner

Reread my post and you will see I had the computer assisted surgery done which brought the alignment of my prostetic to almost perfect, my leg length also a match to my other leg too. The traditional surgery is cheaper because they use a mechanical frame to line up the cuts to the bones and the placement of the new joint. A one or two degree misalignment can bring a lot of discomfort to the recipient.