COVER STORY – The Doctors Ochoa of La Clínica de Fracturas
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Edward Lindquist
- October 18, 2024

Cuenca expats Magazine Issue 47
Photos Courtesy of Clinica de Fracturas
One of the challenges of growing older is dealing with the aches and pains that seem to appear out of nowhere. Last week, I was suddenly struck by severe pain in my right knee—enough to make me worry that something was seriously wrong.
We’re fortunate here in Cuenca to have access to top-notch healthcare at prices that won’t break the bank. I quickly made an appointment with Dr. Gustavo Ochoa, the founder of La Clínica de Fracturas, a fully equipped and accredited private hospital dedicated to treating bone injuries and related trauma.
The clinic even boasts a 24/7 emergency room and a floor dedicated to physical therapy.
After reviewing my x-rays and thoroughly examining my knee, Dr. Ochoa delivered the good news: no fractures, just a bad case of tendonitis. Tendonitis, which is the inflammation or irritation of a tendon, can cause significant discomfort around the joints. It’s most common in areas like the shoulder, elbow, knee, and heel.
Dr. Ochoa explained that tendonitis is much more common in expats over 65 than bone fractures. He prescribed three injections of anti-inflammatory, corticosteroid, vitamins and a box of Meloxicam pills, advised me to drink Horchata tea every morning (a medicinal herb), and recommended limiting my walking for a week—all for just $80!
Dr. Ochoa, who studied at the University of Cuenca and La Sapienza University in Rome, opened the clinic 38 years ago. His mission was to offer a safer, more scientifically grounded alternative to the traditional hueseros sobadores — bone-setters — who have practiced in Ecuador for centuries.
Over time, Dr. Ochoa’s sons, Christian and Gustavo, joined the clinic. With impressive credentials in both education and experience, they’ve become an integral part of the team.
You can view their resumes on the clinic’s website:

While all three doctors are licensed and trained as general orthopedic surgeons, each has a unique specialty. Dr. Ochoa Sr. is a generalist, treating a wide range of injuries. Christian focuses on sports medicine and joint replacements surgery, while the younger Gustavo specializes in pediatric care.
If your injury involves multiple types of traumas, a general hospital might be the best choice. But for anything related to fractures or joint pain, La Clínica de Fracturas is the place to go. The experienced emergency room staff will stabilize you, manage your pain, and quickly assess the severity of your injury. One of the three surgeons will then be called in to explain the proposed treatment in detail. Each doctor has a specific area of expertise, but rest assured, all three are highly skilled and experienced, performing an average of 650 procedures per year. In the world of medicine, repetition is a key to excellence.
The clinic is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, mostly imported from the U.S. and Europe.
The equipment is on par with what you’d find in top facilities worldwide.
The clinic adheres to the protocols of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, ensuring that every procedure follows strict guidelines, with a comprehensive pre and post- op checklist. Additionally, because the clinic focuses primarily on bone trauma, patients are less likely to encounter the germs and infections common in larger hospitals.
La Clínica de Fracturas has two fully equipped operating theaters that are always available. You could walk—or hobble—in, get x-rays, consult with a surgeon, and undergo surgery all in the same day. The clinic also offers ten rooms for overnight stays, each with a second bed so a family member can stay with you.

The clinic’s staff includes physical therapists and wound care specialists to support your recovery. Since my last visit, they’ve expanded their physical therapy services and added more advanced equipment.
You don’t have to break a bone to benefit from the clinic’s services. They can also help you with all kinds of diseases of the osteo-articular system, including congenital deformities such as hip dislocations, deformities of the feet, hands, knees; diseases of the spine such as congenital or acquired scoliosis, degenerative diseases of the joints such as osteoarthritis of the hip and knee especially. For all these treatments, they use multiple methods, both orthopedic and surgical. Shoulder and knee injuries are treated arthroscopically, a minimally invasive technique.
La Clínica de Fracturas is also at the forefront of innovative treatments.
They offer shockwave therapy as an alternative to surgery in many cases and are expanding the use of their hyperbaric chamber—. This chamber allows patients to breathe pure oxygen under high pressure, accelerating healing by delivering oxygen to affected areas in high concentrations. The FDA has approved hyperbaric treatment for 13 different conditions.
Because the clinic is specialized, the doctors and staff can work with maximum efficiency. And as a privately-owned facility, they minimize paperwork and overhead costs. While costs vary depending on the complexity of the procedure, a complete hip replacement at La Clínica de Fracturas typically costs $8,000—compared to $40,000 in the U.S.
The clinic works with all insurance companies, both Ecuadorian and international, and accepts major credit cards from any country.

La Clínica de Fracturas is easy to find—a three-story building on Huayna Capac, near the intersection with Simón Bolívar (across from the new Artisan Plaza), with a distinctive curving glass front accented in red, and white.
Keep this article handy—you never know when you or a friend might need the expert care of the Doctors Ochoa.
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