Considering hip or knee replacement surgery abroad? Nordorthopaedics in Kaunas, Lithuania, is a specialist orthopaedic centre offering joint replacement and other advanced orthopaedic procedures to international patients. With experienced surgeons, robotic-assisted knee replacement technology and integrated rehabilitation, the clinic provides an alternative for UK patients facing long NHS waiting times or high private treatment costs. This week’s MMG Saturday Spotlight explores Nordorthopaedics, its specialist expertise and why Lithuania is attracting British patients seeking treatment.
For patients facing months of pain while waiting for orthopaedic surgery, travelling to another European country for treatment can seem like a major decision. But for thousands of international patients, Lithuania has become an established destination for specialist orthopaedic care.
This week, the MMG Saturday Spotlight travels to Kaunas to visit Nordorthopaedics, the very first Accredited Healthcare Provider to join My Medical Gateway’s network and a specialist centre dedicated to orthopaedic surgery, rehabilitation and recovery.
Nordorphopaedics a specialist orthopaedic centre
Rather than attempting to cover every area of medicine, Nordorthopaedics has developed its reputation around musculoskeletal surgery.
Its principal treatments include hip and knee replacement, shoulder and ankle replacement, ACL reconstruction, knee arthroscopy, rotator cuff repair and foot and ankle surgery.
More than 80% of its patients come from overseas, including the UK, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, the United States and Canada. That international experience is particularly relevant for British patients, because treatment abroad involves considerably more than the operation itself: communication, travel arrangements, medical documentation and post-operative planning all form part of the journey.
Nordorthopaedics provides English-speaking clinical staff and has developed services specifically around international patients.
More than 7,000 joint replacements
At the centre of the hospital’s joint-replacement programme is Professor Šarūnas Tarasevičius, who specialises in hip and knee replacement surgery. Professor Tarasevičius has performed more than 7,000 joint replacement operations during a career spanning more than 20 years.
He is President of the Lithuanian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, a board member of the Lithuanian association for surgeons performing total joint replacements and has co-authored around 100 scientific publications as well as more than 100 educational publications.
The wider surgical team includes specialists in joint replacement, arthroscopy, sports injuries, ACL reconstruction and foot and ankle surgery. Orthopaedic surgeon Robertinas Juosponis, for example, specialises in hip, knee and shoulder replacement and performs approximately 300 operations annually, while Vytautas Kimtys has more than 25 years’ experience in foot and ankle surgery.
Technology and surgical expertise
Modern orthopaedics increasingly combines the judgement and experience of the surgeon with sophisticated surgical technology.
Nordorthopaedics is a Smith+Nephew Centre of Excellence in the Baltic States and uses established international implant manufacturers including Smith+Nephew and Zimmer Biomet. The clinic has also introduced robotic-assisted knee replacement using Zimmer Biomet’s ROSA Knee System, describing itself as the first private clinic in the Baltic States to offer the technology.
ROSA assists the surgeon with planning and intra-operative information during knee replacement. Importantly, robotic-assisted surgery does not replace the surgeon: the technology is designed to support the surgeon in achieving precise positioning and alignment based upon the individual patient’s anatomy.
Surgery is only part of the treatment journey
Successful orthopaedic treatment does not finish when a patient leaves the operating theatre.
Rehabilitation can be particularly important following hip and knee replacement and sports-related surgery, and Nordorthopaedics integrates physiotherapy into its orthopaedic services. Its rehabilitation team includes specialists in pre- and post-operative orthopaedic physiotherapy, sports rehabilitation, joint mobilisation and recovery following injury.
For an international patient, having surgery and early rehabilitation coordinated within the same treatment environment can provide valuable continuity before returning home.
Why Lithuania?
Lithuania has been a member of the European Union since 2004, and Kaunas, the country’s second-largest city, has developed into an important centre for medicine, research and technology.
For British patients, geography is also important. Lithuania is a relatively short flight from the UK, while Nordorthopaedics has extensive experience treating patients travelling specifically for surgery. The attraction is not simply geographical. It is the combination of specialist expertise, availability and cost.
That distinction is becoming increasingly relevant as patients in Britain confront long waits for elective orthopaedic treatment. The NHS Constitution states that patients should normally begin consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of referral, although substantial numbers continue to wait beyond that standard.
For someone living with severe osteoarthritis, persistent knee pain or declining mobility, the practical question may therefore become whether to continue waiting or investigate private alternatives.
Comparing the cost of treatment
Price is one of the principal reasons UK patients consider treatment elsewhere in Europe.
MMG’s independent UK pricing research calculated average UK private treatment costs of approximately €17,263 for knee replacement and €16,687 for hip replacement. Treatment through MMG’s European hospital network can cost substantially less, even after taking travel into account.
Price, however, should never be considered in isolation. Patients should examine the hospital, surgeon, proposed procedure, implant where applicable, package inclusions, rehabilitation, aftercare and their individual medical circumstances before deciding where to undergo treatment.
That is precisely why MMG brings this information together within one marketplace.
The MMG treatment journey
Patients considering Nordorthopaedics can explore available Treatment Packages through My Medical Gateway, compare prices and package inclusions, and review information about the hospital and its surgeons before making a decision.
Following diagnostic assessment and medical acceptance, MMG patients are offered three potential treatment dates within six weeks.
For patients who have spent months waiting for an operation — or simply want greater control over when and where their treatment takes place — Nordorthopaedics demonstrates what specialist European healthcare can offer: experienced surgeons, modern technology, established international-patient pathways and access to treatment without the lengthy waits many patients experience at home.
That is why Nordorthopaedics in Kaunas is this week’s MMG Saturday Spotlight.
Ready to explore your treatment options?
Visit My Medical Gateway to compare Nordorthopaedics Treatment Packages, prices, surgeons and what is included in your care. You can also compare alternative accredited European hospitals in one place and choose the option that best meets your medical, personal and financial needs.
Following medical acceptance, MMG patients are offered three potential treatment dates within six weeks.
Search hip and knee treatments at https://www.mymedicalgateway.com/hospitals/lithuania/nordorthopaedics-clinic at My Medical Gateway.
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