Most Expensive Surgical Procedures in 2022
What are the most expensive surgical procedures? A heart transplant is certainly more expensive than a knee replacement. However, you may be surprised by some of the surgeries in the list below.
The 6 Most Expensive Surgical Procedures
1. Heart Transplant
A heart transplant is one of the most expensive surgeries in the world, with costs ranging from $1.38 million to $1.66 million. The cost goes well beyond the doctors’ and nurses’ time. Additional costs that cause heart transplants to be so expensive, include:
Medication to maintain the organ
Chartered flights to pick up and deliver the organ
Surgeon costs
In total, there can be 10 surgeons in the room working on the patient. Additionally, two weeks of inpatient care for a transplant can add up to a staggering $900,000.
Virtually all organ transplants are high-priced and would rank in the top ten most expensive surgeries.
2. Joint Replacement
Your joints will wear over time, and while most people can live a full life with their own joints, others will be in severe pain. In addition, strenuous activities, such as sports, can lead to more wear of the joints, such as the knees and hips.
A few of the costs for these procedures include:
$30,000 - $70,000 for knee replacements
$40,000 - $60,000 for hip replacements
Replacing a joint is an expensive procedure, and these are just a few of the joints that may be replaced. Wrist joints, shoulders and elbows can also be replaced.
3. Spine
Spinal surgeries are highly complex and some of the costliest procedures. Here are some of the most common spinal surgeries and their costs:
Spinal fusion: $15,000-$95,000
Spinal decompression: $17,000+
Disc replacement: $16,000-$45,000+
Spinal cord stimulator: Up to $77,000 or more
The costs of spinal surgeries can vary greatly depending on the condition and the surgeon.
4. Sports Medicine
Sports medicine procedures are among some of the most expensive surgeries. Here are some of the procedures that fall under this branch of medicine and their costs:
ACL reconstruction: $6,000-$8,900 with insurance and up to $50,000 for those without insurance
Meniscus repair: $7,500-$9,000 or more
Knee tendon repair: $9,000-$14,600
Rotator cuff repair: $4,800-$24,300
Shoulder arthroscopy: $7,000-$30,000 or more
The cost of the procedure will depend on the skill of the surgeon, the complexity of the procedure and other factors.
5. Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery can include a variety of different procedures, including those affecting the brain, spine and nervous system.
The cost of brain surgery can vary from $70,000 to $150,000 or more. These are procedures that require extreme precision and the work of a highly experienced surgeon.
6. Kidney Transplant
The kidney transplant procedure has its own unique challenges. With this procedure, the affected kidney is not removed. Rather, the donated kidney is attached to the old kidney to ensure proper blood flow. Removal of the old kidney has been shown to increase the risk of failure.
Due to the complexity of this procedure, costs can reach $250,000 or more.
These are some of the most expensive surgical procedures in the world. The complexity, length of the procedure and other factors affect the cost of these surgeries. The greater the precision, the greater the cost of the procedure.
