01 · Cost
What does it cost?
Published self-pay prices for the surgical components of a total knee replacement in the United States typically run approximately USD 35,000 to 55,000, before physiotherapy, equipment, and aftercare, which are usually billed separately. In Canada the procedure is publicly funded, but national reporting shows a meaningful share of hip and knee replacement patients waiting beyond the 26-week benchmark, with access varying by province and clinical priority.
In Colombia, a complete coordinated journey with MedValet is USD 19,500. That covers surgery with two knee surgeons, the implant, recovery accommodation, equipment, transport, 12 in-person physiotherapy sessions in Medellín, and 12 remote sessions across your first six weeks home. The implant systems are the same manufacturers used widely in North American hospitals: Smith & Nephew, Zimmer Biomet, and Stryker.
The honest caveat, and it applies to any provider you evaluate including us: a low headline price abroad often excludes the pieces that make recovery work. Compare the whole journey, not the surgery line, and ask for the complete list of inclusions in writing before you pay anything beyond a consultation fee.
| MedValet · Medellín | U.S. self-pay | Public system (Canada) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost (USD) | $19,500, the complete journey | ~$35,000 to 55,000, surgical components (published self-pay range) | No direct procedure bill (tax-funded) |
| Access | Timeline confirmed at quote | Varies by provider and insurance status | A meaningful share of patients wait beyond the 26-week benchmark (CIHI) |
| Surgeons per operation | Two knee specialists, operating together | Varies by hospital | Varies by hospital |
| Physiotherapy after you return home | 12 remote sessions across six weeks, included | Billed separately | Public coverage varies by province |
| Complications coverage | Where eligible, up to 30 days in Colombia, included | Depends on insurance | Public system |
Each figure requires a named source with an access date, and a note on whether it is a median, a range, a cash price, or a modelled equivalent. Sources and access dates are listed in the complete downloadable guide.
Here is every included service in the MedValet journey, including what is deliberately not included.
02 · The procedure
What a total knee replacement actually is.
Total knee replacement, or total knee arthroplasty, replaces the worn cartilage and bone surfaces of the knee joint with a metal and polyethylene implant. It is among the most studied joint replacement procedures in modern orthopedics, with decades of long-term outcome data.
The procedure typically takes around 90 minutes to two hours, usually under spinal anaesthesia, so most patients are awake and feel nothing below the waist. General anaesthesia is available. With MedValet the procedure is ambulatory: same-day discharge to your recovery accommodation, a private nurse for the first overnight, and a doctor’s visit the following day. Most patients begin walker-assisted mobility the day after surgery, and the most active phase of physiotherapy runs across the first three to four weeks. Return to most activities typically takes three to six months.
Your surgical plan, including implant choice and approach, is confirmed by your surgeon at the in-person pre-operative consultation in Medellín. Robotic-assisted planning is available when clinically indicated.
03 · Candidacy
Are you a candidate?
Three things determine candidacy, and the surgeon has the final word on all of them after reviewing your imaging and records.
- Health. Stable general health, BMI under 35 ideal and 35 to 40 reviewed case by case, non-smoker or willing to pause for the procedure window, and controlled chronic conditions such as diabetes or hypertension.
- Imaging and diagnosis. Recent X-rays of the affected knee, usually within six months, showing degenerative changes consistent with end-stage osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or post-traumatic arthritis. An MRI may be requested in specific cases.
- Expectations. A realistic view of the recovery timeline, commitment to physiotherapy through the first six weeks, and an understanding of what surgery can and cannot restore.
Some patients learn at the case review that surgery is not right for them at all, or not yet. That is a legitimate outcome, and we say it plainly when it is the honest read.
04 · Surgeons & hospitals
Who performs it, and where.
Colombia certifies orthopedic specialists through a national postgraduate system with Ministry of Health oversight, and Medellín has built substantial medical infrastructure over two decades, including a concentration of orthopedic specialists and private clinics running established international-patient operations.
Every MedValet knee replacement is performed by Dr. Alejandro Jaramillo and Dr. Paula Sarmiento: not one surgeon and an assistant, but two knee specialists at the table together from incision to closure, both making surgical decisions in real time. A second surgeon of equal standing means a second set of trained hands on every alignment check, every cut, and every closure.
They operate at Clínica del Campestre and Clínica Llanogrande, private orthopedic clinics rather than generalist hospitals.
Whoever you choose, us or anyone else, verify independently: the surgeon’s professional registration, the clinic’s regulatory status and any accreditation it holds, the implant brand in writing, and a named surgeon you can speak to before you pay anything beyond a consultation fee.
05 · The stay
The 19 nights in Medellín.
The journey starts well before the flight. Between your first conversation and your arrival, the sequence runs: a first conversation about your situation and timeline, a structured intake with your imaging and history, the surgeon’s clinical review confirming whether you are a candidate, a video consultation with your surgeon, your personalized quote with every included service identified, and final preparations with your briefing pack and travel arrangements.
The stay is built around the surgeon’s recovery protocol: pre-operative preparation and clearances in the first days, ambulatory surgery on day four with same-day discharge to your recovery accommodation, an attended first week with nurse and doctor visits, then progressive physiotherapy through two in-person surgeon follow-ups at approximately seven and fifteen days after surgery. Clearance to fly is confirmed in person. That decision belongs to your surgeon, not to your calendar.
Exact appointment days, medication schedules, and physiotherapy frequency are determined by the treating clinicians and adjusted to your progress.
The full day-by-day sequence is on the package page.
06 · Recovery
Recovery, week by week.
Weeks 1 to 2, in Medellín. Walker-assisted mobility usually from the day after surgery, physiotherapy with structured rest days, and for most patients a transition from walker to cane in the second week. Swelling, disturbed sleep, and a dip in morale around week two are common and expected.
Weeks 3 to 4, at home. Remote physiotherapy continues twice weekly with the same physiotherapists who treated you in Medellín, alongside scheduled check-ins. Many patients return to desk work between weeks two and three. Driving typically resumes between weeks four and six, with surgeon clearance.
Weeks 5 to 6. Cane use ends for most patients and most daily activities resume. Remote physiotherapy focuses on strength, gait, and range of motion. A surgeon video follow-up is scheduled.
Months 2 to 3 and beyond. Walking, swimming, and cycling are generally encouraged from month three, with higher-impact activity reviewed case by case. Modern implants are designed for extended service life under typical loads; lifelong follow-up with an orthopedist at home is recommended. Your operative report, implant documentation, and physiotherapy notes are written to be readable by whoever picks up your care.
These timelines describe typical progressions, not promises. Individual recovery varies with age, condition, and adherence to physiotherapy. We do not guarantee outcomes, and nobody honestly can.
07 · The honest part
Risks, named plainly.
Knee replacement is major surgery wherever it happens. Risks include but are not limited to infection, blood clots, implant loosening over time, stiffness that may require further intervention, and anaesthesia-related complications.
Travelling adds two specific considerations. Flying too soon after surgery raises the risk of blood clots, which is why clearance to fly is a surgeon’s in-person decision. And a complication after you are home needs a plan, which is why eligible MedValet patients carry complications coverage for the recovery window in Colombia and every patient leaves with documentation a local orthopedist can act on.
The early days after surgery are when complications are most likely, and they carry the most support: nursing cover overnight, a Patient Journey Director nearby, and a fully equipped clinic reachable quickly. Your written plan explains support during the stay, eligible insurance cover up to 30 days from surgery in Colombia, and arrangements for follow-up after returning home.
If a provider tells you the procedure is painless, risk free, or guaranteed, keep looking.
08 · A documented journey
One journey, on the record.
In MedValet’s first documented knee replacement journey, Carol arrived in Medellín having spent six weeks on a nutritional protocol and two weeks of pre-habilitation. He had surgery on day four with both surgeons at the table, returned to his recovery apartment the same day, and began physiotherapy the following morning. His progress was ahead of the expected curve, and his physiotherapist, his surgeon, and the flexion milestone all recorded it independently. He flew home on day 20 with his surgeon’s clearance, and his remote physiotherapy continued with the same physiotherapist who had treated him in Medellín.Photo
Life in Medellín. Recovery is real work; this is what the good mornings look like.
Individual recovery differs. Carol’s full journey, including the parts that did not go to plan, is published in his own account: read Carol’s knee replacement journey.
09 · Next steps
Where to go from here.
If you want to see what this looks like for a real patient, read Carol’s journey. If you want every line item and the day-by-day sequence, the package page has both. If you want all of it in one printable document, the full guide arrives by email above. And if you want an honest read on your specific knee, the free case review is where every MedValet journey starts.