Cost of a spine surgery

Cost of a spine surgery

Real cost of a spine surgery is dependent from the type of the surgery, the need for implants, the length of hospital stay. The variety in countries, the travel and accommodation costs highly influence the total expenses related to the surgical treatment of different spinal conditions.

Here, we provide a summary about the costs of different spine surgeries in different countries including the expected hospital stay (LOS) (data are from public sources).

Cost of a microdiscectomy/decompression surgery in different countries

avg. length of hospital stay = 3 days

Budapest* 3-5,000 €
Germany 9-12,000 €
UK 15,000 €
France 13,000 €
USA 25,000 €
Czech Republic 8-9,000 €
Croatia 6,000 €
Latvia 5,000 €

*cost in practice of Dr. Lazary depends on number of spinal levels and need for ICU after the surgery (e.g. elderly patients with lot of medical problems)

Cost of a anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACIF) in different countries

avg. length of hospital stay = 3 days

Budapest*

5-8,000 €

Germany 13-18,000 €
UK 20-25,000 €
France 15-20,000 €
USA 100,000 €
Czech Republic 10,000 €
Croatia 8,000 €
Latvia 6,000 €

 *cost depends on number of spinal levels and type of implants

Cost of a single-level lumbar fusion (TLIF , OLIF or ALIF) in different countries

avg. length of hospital stay = 4 days

Budapest*

6-12,000 €

Germany 13-25,000 €
UK 20-30,000 €
France 15-25,000 €
USA 120,000 €
Czech Republic 12,000 €
Croatia 8-15,000 €
Latvia 6-12,000 €

 *cost depends on surgical approach type of implants

 

SPINE SURGERY IN BUDAPEST

SPINE SURGERY IN BUDAPEST

A number of health care providers offer different solutions for spinal surgeries all over the world. The diversity of quality and costs is very high even inside Europe. On the other hand, health tourism is more and more popular and patients seek for safe and high quality possibilities in affordable cost. Here, we would like to help patients needing a spine surgery in selection of a health care provider by discussing some important factors.

From Latvia to UK, a number of spine “centers”  advertise themselves as top-quality hospitals for spine surgeries with internationally recognized experts and world-leading team. Behind the curtain, in most cases, there is a small private praxis with one or two neurosurgeons or orthopedists performing the most simple spine surgical procedures in a limited number per year. These providers can help a group of people, but the situation above can be dangerous for a number of patients suffering from a spinal condition.

  • Even the most simple procedures can have complications. Management of surgical and non-surgical adverse events requires higher level of experience and more diverse surgical practice.
  • A significant part of patients requires careful monitoring (often on intensive care unit (ICU)) after the surgery, but most of the private spine hospitals does not have an ICU or postoperative ward.
  • The limited number of surgical procedures includes the risk for a “wide indication” of the surgery what the given surgeon can perform (e.g. endoscopic microdecompression for everybody).
  • Modern spine surgery is patient-specific in surgical indication, use and type of implants and postoperative care. Small centers and limited surgical practice often have got limited possibilities.
  • The economical background of these spine surgical practices can influence their indication and type of surgeries and implants. On the price list of these providers, there are a number of off-label or potentially harmful procedures which are not supported by scientific evidences.

 

HOW CAN YOU CHOOSE A SURGEON/CENTER IF YOU NEED A SPINE SURGERY?

  • By checking your surgeon’s qualifications and surgical practice, you can trust his/her professional level
  • The international scientific prestige of a medical doctor is usually a sign of reliability and professional credibility
  • Academic position of a surgeon and/or a center is the highest level of national recognition
  • Check the participation of the center/surgeon in international clinical trials, registries. In these studies, there  is a full transparency regarding number of procedures, surgical results and adverse events
  • Consider the infrastructure of the center and the personal skills of the surgeon. Is there a safe postoperative ward/ICU in the hospital, is the surgeon trained and experienced in management of complications?
  • Check the rehabilitation/physiotherapy options in the hospital
  • Be informed about the follow-up protocol of the institution/surgeon. Most spine surgeries requires long-term follow-up
  • Calculate the cost. There is a high diversity in costs of spine surgeries over the world and additional costs (travel, accommodation, etc) also increase the expenses. Here you can find a detailed summary about costs of different interventions in different countries. 

 

Dr. Lazary performs wide range of spine surgical interventions in the Buda Health Center, which is an internationnally recognized spine center with high quality services in the heart of  Budapest, Hungary. Due to its location and rich connections Budapest is easily accessible from all parts of Europe and also from Middle-East and North-America.

Spine surgical consultation during the pandemic

Spine surgical consultation during the pandemic

Our private spine surgical consultation and spine care service is running in the Buda Health Center according to the relevant regulation. Examination and treatment are performed in accordance with the decree of the government. Safety of patients and health care providers is priority.

Appointment for spine surgical consultation is to be asked by phone (+36-1-489-5200).

Surgical or non-surgical treatment of the whole spectrum of spinal disorders is provided on an internationally recognized high level.

Safety. Life. Quality.

Comprehensive spine surgery

Comprehensive spine surgery

Modern spine care is the effective and safe combination of evidence-based diagnostic and surgical techniques and different patient-specific solutions providing the best outcome for the patients.

Highly educated spine surgeons use modern, safe diagnostic tools to find the source of complaints, patient-specific approach for the decision on treatment and evidence-based spinal surgical techniques to cure the patient. In spine surgery, only the life-long learning process can provide the up-to-date knowledge and appropriate level of skills for the clinician. Complication rate, objective and subjective treatment outcome and patient-satisfaction together characterize a surgical practice.

 

Cost of a spine surgery

Cost of a spine surgery

Real cost of a spine surgery is dependent from the type of the surgery, the need for implants, the length of hospital stay. The variety in countries, the travel and accommodation costs highly influence the total expenses related to the surgical treatment of different...

read more
SPINE SURGERY IN BUDAPEST

SPINE SURGERY IN BUDAPEST

A number of health care providers offer different solutions for spinal surgeries all over the world. The diversity of quality and costs is very high even inside Europe. On the other hand, health tourism is more and more popular and patients seek for safe and high...

read more
Spine surgical consultation during the pandemic

Spine surgical consultation during the pandemic

Our private spine surgical consultation and spine care service is running in the Buda Health Center according to the relevant regulation. Examination and treatment are performed in accordance with the decree of the government. Safety of patients and health care...

read more
Minimally Invasive Surgery

Minimally Invasive Surgery

In general, the goal of minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS)  is to stabilize the vertebral bones and spinal joints and/or relieve pressure being applied to the spinal nerves — often a result of conditions such as a spinal instability, bone spurs, herniated discs, scoliosis or spinal tumors.

As opposed to open spine surgery, minimally invasive surgical approaches can be faster, safer and require less recovery time. Because of the reduced trauma to the muscles and soft tissues (compared to open procedures), the potential benefits are:

  • Better cosmetic results from smaller skin incisions (sometimes as small as 2 centimeters)
  • Less blood loss from surgery
  • Reduced risk of muscle damage since less or no cutting of the muscle is required
  • Reduced risk of infection and postoperative pain
  • Faster recovery from surgery and less rehabilitation required
  • Diminished reliance on pain medications after surgery
  • In addition, some MIS surgeries are performed as outpatient procedures and utilize only local anesthesia — so there is less risk for an adverse reaction to general anesthesia.

As with any surgical procedure, no matter how minimal, there are certain risks associated that include but are not limited to:

  • Possible adverse reaction to the anesthetic
  • Unexpected blood loss during the procedure
  • Localized infections, no matter how small the incision area
  • And, though uncommon, there is always a small chance that the initial MIS surgery cannot be completed, requiring either a second procedure or full open surgery.

Conditions Treated Using MIS Procedures

 

  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Herniated disc
  • Lumbar spinal stenosis
  • Spinal deformities such as scoliosis
  • Spinal infections
  • Spinal instability
  • Vertebral compression fractures
  • Spinal Tumors

How Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Works

 

Because the spinal nerves, vertebrae and discs are located deep inside the body, any approach to gain access to the spinal area requires moving the muscle tissue out of the way. In general, this is facilitated by utilizing a small incision (s) and guiding instruments and/or microscopic video cameras through these incisions. Contrary to popular belief, lasers are very rarely used in MIS surgeries.

A number of methods can be used to minimize trauma during MIS surgery. Some of the more common techniques include:

Performing the surgery using a tubular retractor:
This technique involves progressive dilation of the soft tissues, as opposed to cutting directly through the muscles. By using tubes to keep the muscles out of the way, the surgeon can work through the incision without having to expose the area widely. Sometimes, the surgeon will also utilize an endoscopic or microscope focused down the tube to assist with performing the surgery through a minimal access strategy. Once the procedure is complete, the tubular retractor can be removed, allowing the dilated tissues to come back together. Depending on the extent and type of surgery necessary, incisions can often be small.

Percutaneous placement of screws and rods:
Depending on the condition of the patient, it may be necessary to place instrumentation, such as rods and screws, to stabilize the spine or to immobilize the spine to facilitate fusion of the spinal bones. Traditional approaches for placement of screws requires extensive removal of muscle and other tissues from the surface of the spine.

However, percutaneous (which means “through the skin”) placement typically involves inserting rods and screws through relatively small skin incisions without cutting or dissecting the underlying muscle. With the aid of X-ray images, guidewires are placed through the skin and into the spinal vertebrae along the desired paths for the screws. Then, screws are placed over the guidewires and follow the path of the wires. These screws have temporary extenders that extend outside of the skin and subsequently removed after helping to guide passage of rods to connect and secure the screws.

Direct lateral or retroperitoneal access routes:
In some cases — especially those involving the lumbar spine — approaching the spine from the side of the body results in reduced pain, due to the limited amount of muscle tissue blocking the way. This approach is typically performed with the patient on his or her side. Then, a tubular retractor docks on the side of the spine to enable access to the spine’s discs and bones.

Thoracscopic access route:
Depending on the patient’s condition, it may be necessary to access the front portions of the thoracic spine, located in the chest and surrounded by the heart and lungs. Traditional access approaches often involve opening the chest through large incisions that may also require removal of one or more ribs. However, thoracscopic access relies on multiple small incisions through which working ports and cameras can be inserted to facilitate surgery.

 

Common MIS Surgery Treatment Options

 

A number of specific techniques have been deployed for MIS surgery. Though the field continues to develop, the list below highlights some of the most common options:

Discetomy: Spinal discs are essentially elastic rings with soft material inside that serve as cushions between the vertebral bones. If the elastic ring becomes incompetent or weakened, the soft tissue inside can extrude — or herniate — outside of the elastic ring. The herniated disc material can compress the nerves passing by, thus causing pain. If surgical treatment is recommended to trim or remove the herniated disc, it may be possible to perform this procedure with MIS surgery using tubular dilators and a microscope or endoscope.

Spinal decompression: Spinal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the vertebral column, is a common condition that can result in compression of the nerves. This can produce a variety of symptoms, including pain, numbness and muscle weakness. If surgery is recommended, it may be possible to remove the bone and soft tissues causing the nerve compression through an MIS approach using tubular dilators and a microscope or endoscope. The more common decompressive procedures include laminectomy and foraminotomy.

MIS stabilization and fusion:
This is a MIS technique that is performed in patients with refractory mechanical low back and radicular pain associated with spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease, recurrent disc herniation, deformity correction or fracture stabilization. The fusion procedure can be performed from the lateral/retroperitoneal approach, while the percutaneous stabilization is done from the posterior approach.

MIS techniques are not included into the common spine surgical training. Only spine surgeons who are trained for these special techniques can perform the MIS surgeries safely and effectively.

 

Minimally Invasive Surgery

Minimally Invasive Surgery

In general, the goal of minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS)  is to stabilize the vertebral bones and spinal joints and/or relieve pressure being applied to the spinal nerves — often a result of conditions such as a spinal instability, bone spurs, herniated discs,...

read more