Anterior hip replacement, 45 minutes from Lake Chapala.

It's half true — and the half matters. If we only measure whether the implant works ten or twenty years later, all three approaches give excellent results in experienced hands. But the approaches are genuinely different in what your first months look like: whether muscle is detached or spared, whether you live with weeks of movement precautions, how soon you walk without a walker, and the risk of a temporary limp while the gluteal muscles heal after a lateral approach. Surgeons naturally recommend the approach they were trained in and perform best — which is the right thing for them to do. Our recommendation: get informed about all three, ask each surgeon which approach they use and why, and choose with complete information. We're happy to be your second opinion.

Surgeons at Lakeside typically perform the traditional lateral or posterior approaches. The direct anterior approach requires specific training, a specialized technique and a high volume of hip replacements to perform safely and well — a combination concentrated in major surgical centers. Guadalajara, the second-largest medical hub in Mexico, is the closest place to Lakeside where it is performed routinely.

Our consulting offices and hospitals are in Guadalajara, approximately 45–60 minutes by car from Ajijic via the Chapala highway. Many patients combine their consultation with errands or a visit to the city, and we schedule appointments to minimize trips.

Medicare does not cover care outside the United States. Some private and expat insurance policies do reimburse surgery in Mexico — we provide complete documentation and detailed invoices to support your claim. Many patients choose to pay privately because the all-inclusive cost is typically a fraction of U.S. self-pay prices, with modern implants from the same manufacturers used in American hospitals.

We use implants from leading international manufacturers — the same brands and models used in the United States and Canada — selected for your anatomy, bone quality and activity level. The specific implant is discussed with you and included in your written estimate.

Most patients with hip arthritis are candidates. Anatomy, previous surgeries and bone quality are evaluated case by case. If the anterior approach is not the safest option for you, Dr. González will explain why and recommend the technique that gives you the best long-term result.

You leave the hospital with a written rehabilitation protocol from Motus Rehabilitación, our affiliated rehab center. We coordinate with your local physical therapist at Lakeside or guide you through a home program, and Dr. González follows your progress directly by WhatsApp and in-person check-ups.