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Orthopedic Surgery in Argentina: Costs, Procedures, and Travel
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Orthopedic surgery in Argentina is concentrated in Buenos Aires and Córdoba, home to all 10 Argentine hospitals on Newsweek’s 2026 orthopedic lists.
Robotic knee or hip replacement in Argentina has a base private estimate of about USD 10,000. Uninsured knee replacement in the US costs USD 15,000 to 50,000.
Medical Tourism Packages (MTP) coordinates orthopedic care in Buenos Aires and Córdoba, from your first records review to follow-up at home. You get English and Spanish support at every step.
What Is Orthopedic Surgery, and Why Do US Patients Choose Argentina?
Orthopedic surgery repairs damage to your bones, cartilage, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. In Argentina, US patients choose it for ranked private hospitals, trained specialists, and lower prices than in the US:
- Ranked private hospitals: Newsweek’s 2026 Latin America ranking includes 10 Argentine hospitals for knee, hip, or shoulder surgery, all in greater Buenos Aires or Córdoba. The best-ranked hospitals place third in Latin America for knee and shoulder surgery and fifth for hip surgery. Peer recommendations make up 75% of the score.
- Trained specialists: Orthopedic surgeons certified by the Argentine Association of Orthopedics and Traumatology (AAOT) complete a three-year program and pass a specialist exam.
- Lower price: Robotic knee or hip replacement costs less than the lowest uninsured US price, as the cost section shows.
- Bilingual coordination: MTP’s team speaks English and Spanish with you and with the hospital.
Comparing destinations? Read our guides to orthopedic surgery in Mexico and orthopedic surgery in Colombia.
How Much Does Orthopedic Surgery Cost in Argentina Compared With the US?
Robotic knee or hip replacement in Argentina has a base private estimate of about USD 10,000, according to one Argentine specialist in December 2025. Uninsured US patients pay USD 15,000 to 50,000 for knee replacement and USD 14,000 to 40,000 for hip replacement, according to 2026 cost guides. The USD 10,000 estimate applies only to robotic joint replacement, and your written quote lists what it includes. Spine surgery and arthroscopy are priced case by case after the surgeon reviews your imaging.
| Procedure | Argentina (private base estimate, December 2025) | US uninsured (2026 cost guides) |
|---|---|---|
| Knee replacement (robotic in Argentina) | About USD 10,000 | USD 15,000 to 50,000 |
| Hip replacement (robotic in Argentina) | About USD 10,000 | USD 14,000 to 40,000 |
US prices usually include the surgeon, anesthesia, facility, and implant. Your Argentine quote lists its own inclusions.
What Should a Written Quote Include?
Labs, imaging, physical therapy, and complications are often billed separately, so a written quote should list every cost line. Ask for these items:
- Professional and facility fees: surgeon, anesthesia, operating room, and hospital stay.
- Implant details: product name, model, and ANMAT registration number. Argentine rules require an implant card with these details for hip, knee, and spinal implants, so your US doctors can identify the device later.
- Tests and therapy: imaging, labs, and physical therapy, listed as included or extra.
- Currency and validity: the currency (ask for US dollars) and how long the price holds.
- Complication terms: what happens and who pays if you need further care.
Argentine law lets you pay a dollar price in dollars, so peso swings will not change it.
Which Orthopedic Procedures Can You Have in Argentina?
You can have knee replacement, hip replacement, shoulder surgery, spine surgery, ACL surgery, and arthroscopy in Argentina. MTP coordinates all of them in Buenos Aires and Córdoba.
Knee Replacement
Private hospitals in Argentina offer knee replacement, including robotic-assisted surgery. More than 90% of modern total knee replacements still work well 15 years after surgery, according to the AAOS. See our guide to knee replacement in Argentina for prices and recovery.
Hip Replacement
Hip replacement is available in Argentina, and several private hospitals offer robotic-assisted surgery. Surgeons decide on it by how much pain and disability the hip causes, with no fixed age or weight limit. Most patients are 50 to 80. Read more in hip replacement in Argentina.
Shoulder and Rotator Cuff Surgery
Shoulder surgery is one of Argentina’s strengths, and rotator cuff repair is part of it. Most rotator cuff tears are now repaired through small incisions (arthroscopy), according to the AAOS. Send your MRI and reports to MTP, and an Argentine surgeon reviews them before you decide.
Spine Surgery
Spine surgery is available in Argentina’s private hospitals. Send your MRI and reports to MTP, and the surgeon reviews them before quoting. Our spine surgery in Argentina guide goes deeper.
ACL Surgery and Arthroscopy
ACL surgery and arthroscopy are available in Argentina. Arthroscopy is a keyhole technique for the knee, shoulder, elbow, ankle, hip, and wrist. For an ACL tear, send your MRI to MTP, and the Argentine surgeon advises on treatment.
What Does an Orthopedic Trip to Argentina Include?
An orthopedic trip to Argentina includes a remote consultation, a written quote, surgery, and a recovery stay near the hospital. You return home with your records for follow-up.
The steps run in this order:
- Send your records: share imaging, reports, and your medication list with MTP.
- Consult remotely: the Argentine surgeon reviews your records and talks with you before you book.
- Receive a written quote: it lists inclusions, currency, and date.
- Check the hospital and surgeon: look up the hospital in REFES, the national registry of health facilities. Look up the surgeon’s national license number (matrícula) in REFEPS, the national registry of health professionals. A missing record may mean the license is unreported or inactive, so ask the provincial health authority or medical college.
- Set travel dates: MTP plans flights around the surgeon’s schedule.
- Have surgery: your surgeon operates at a private hospital in Buenos Aires or Córdoba.
- Recover near the hospital: MTP arranges a stay close to your surgical team. You stay until your surgeon clears you in writing to fly, because surgery and long flights raise clot risk.
- Return home with your records: you leave with your records in English and your implant card. Then you follow up with your US doctor.
For the wider picture, see our guide to medical tourism in Argentina.
How Can You Pay, and Is Healthcare in Argentina Free for Foreigners?
You pay the hospital directly, by credit card or wire transfer. Healthcare in Argentina is not free for US visitors. Since August 2026, national public hospitals have charged foreign visitors for non-emergency care, and emergency care stays free. MTP patients have surgery in private hospitals, where everyone pays.
- Medicare: does not cover care outside the US.
- Deposit and methods: your written quote confirms the payment methods and the deposit.
- Private insurance: ask your insurer what it covers abroad before you book.
Is Orthopedic Surgery in Argentina Safe, and Who Should Not Travel?
The main risks of orthopedic surgery anywhere, including Argentina, are infection and blood clots, according to the CDC. Serious complications such as joint infection occur in fewer than 2% of knee and hip replacements, according to the AAOS.
You have a legal right to your full clinical record within 48 hours of asking, so your US doctor can see what was done.
MTP advises against traveling for surgery in these situations:
- Urgent or unstable conditions: if you need care within days, get it at home.
- A history of blood clots: discuss travel with your surgeon before you book.
- An unstable health problem: heart disease, diabetes, or an infection that is not yet under control.
- No plan for follow-up: you need a US clinician who will receive your records and see you after you return.
What Do Patients Ask About Orthopedic Surgery in Argentina?
Quick answers to common questions about orthopedic surgery in Argentina. MTP can go through any of them with you in a free consultation.
How much does knee or hip replacement cost in Argentina compared with the US?
Robotic knee or hip replacement costs about USD 10,000 at an Argentine private hospital, based on one specialist's December 2025 estimate. Uninsured US patients pay USD 15,000 to 50,000 for knee replacement and USD 14,000 to 40,000 for hip replacement, according to 2026 cost guides. Ask for a written quote that lists inclusions, currency, and date.
Which cities in Argentina have the best orthopedic hospitals?
Buenos Aires and Córdoba have Argentina's best-ranked orthopedic hospitals. All 10 Argentine private hospitals in Newsweek's 2026 knee, hip, or shoulder rankings are in greater Buenos Aires or Córdoba. The top Argentine hospitals rank third in Latin America for knee and shoulder surgery.
Is healthcare in Argentina free for US visitors?
No. Public hospitals now charge foreign visitors for non-emergency care, though emergency care stays free. MTP patients use private hospitals, where everyone pays.
Will I have English-speaking support during orthopedic treatment in Argentina?
Yes. MTP's team speaks English and Spanish with you and with the hospital. The CDC recommends that medical travelers request their records in English, and MTP can help you ask for them.
Is Argentina a good place for orthopedic surgery?
Argentina suits US patients who want private-hospital care in Buenos Aires or Córdoba. Newsweek's 2026 ranking includes 10 Argentine private hospitals for knee, hip, or shoulder surgery. Certified orthopedic surgeons complete a three-year program and pass a specialist exam. Robotic knee or hip replacement has a base estimate of about USD 10,000.
What happens if I have a problem after I get home?
Call your US doctor first, and have your operative note, implant card, medication list, and discharge instructions ready. MTP stays in touch with the Argentine team for your follow-up. Legal options after treatment abroad can differ from those in the US, so keep every record.
Plan Your Orthopedic Surgery in Argentina
Send MTP your imaging, and we return a hospital match, a written quote, and a travel plan. Request a free consultation and a personalized quote through our contact page.
Sources and references
- Asociación Argentina de Ortopedia y Traumatología (AAOT), Regulation of educational activities (updated 2024), checked October 1, 2026.
- Government of Santa Fe province, page on the national health information system, checked October 1, 2026.
- Ministerio de Salud de la Nación, Argentina.gob.ar electronic prescription page for professionals (REFEPS lookup), checked October 1, 2026.
- ANMAT, Boletín Oficial, Disposición ANMAT 9688/2019, checked October 1, 2026.
- Argentine Congress, via Argentina.gob.ar, Ley 26.529 on patient rights, clinical record, and informed consent, checked October 1, 2026.
- US Department of State, Argentina country information (updated July 16, 2026), checked October 1, 2026.
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC Yellow Book: medical tourism, checked October 1, 2026.
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo: total knee replacement, checked October 1, 2026.
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo: total hip replacement, checked October 1, 2026.
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo: arthroscopy, checked October 1, 2026.
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo: Rotator Cuff Tears, Surgical Treatment Options, checked October 3, 2026.
- iProfesional, report on robotic hip and knee surgery cost (December 21, 2025), checked October 1, 2026.
- Ministry of Health, Argentina.gob.ar, Resolución 1066/2026, checked October 1, 2026.
- Infoleg, Código Civil y Comercial, updated text, checked October 1, 2026.
- Newsweek and Statista, Latin America’s Top Private Hospitals & Clinics 2026, overview and knee, hip, and shoulder lists (published January 21, 2026), checked October 3, 2026.
- CareRoute, Knee Replacement Cost 2026 (updated September 12, 2026) and Hip replacement cost guide (updated July 15, 2026), checked October 1, 2026.
