International & VIP patients
A destination clinic patients travel to London for
From the United States, Europe and Australia, patients come to London Cartilage Clinic for cartilage repair, regeneration and joint-preserving options with Professor Paul Lee, and a fully handled trip.
Read the International Patient Guide
Reviewed byProfessor Paul Lee MBBch, FRCS (Tr & Orth), PhDCartilage and joint preservation expertiseWhy patients fly to London
Three reasons patients cross borders for London Cartilage Clinic
Patients travel from around the world for treatments, and a level of expertise, they cannot easily get at home. Never because we are faster, always because there are more options here.
Exclusivity
Options you may not have at home
ChondroFiller and Liquid Cartilage, cartilage regeneration that aims to preserve rather than replace the joint, and ACL repair that keeps your own ligament. Options that are not routinely offered everywhere, and sometimes at ages or defect sizes ruled out elsewhere.
Why patients travel hereAuthority
A world-published specialist
Professor Paul Lee is an internationally published cartilage and joint-preservation specialist, an ICRS teaching-centre lead with NJR and BASK credentials. Patients choosing between a handful of world specialists value that depth of experience most.
Professor Lee’s standingExperience
A fully handled trip
The Landmark London as a base, chauffeur transfers, a dedicated coordinator, scans, consultation, treatment and recovery, packaged as one so you can focus on getting better.
The concierge experienceConcierge and VIP · Our partner hotel
The Landmark London and a fully handled trip
London Cartilage Clinic is partnered with The Landmark London, one of the city’s great hotels. From the moment you enquire to the day you fly home, scans, consultation, treatment, recovery and accommodation are packaged and handled as one.
The Landmark London
A high-level hotel arrangement as your base, in the tier of a Mandarin Oriental or Shangri-La, a short journey from the clinic.
Chauffeur transfers
Chauffeured airport transfers and journeys between your hotel, the clinic and the surgical venue.
A dedicated coordinator
One team handling your medical records and MRI coordination from the first call through to full recovery.
Scans, care and rehab
Imaging arranged for you, a tailored preoperative plan and access to high-end rehabilitation facilities.
Choose your country
Guidance tailored to where you are travelling from
Each country page covers the treatments most relevant to you, how to get here, and how costs and insurance work from home.
North America
Europe
Netherlands
About an hour from Schiphol, advanced cartilage repair.
Guidance for NetherlandsGermany
The largest nearby market, expertise and volume of experience.
Guidance for GermanyBelgium
Reachable by Eurostar with no flight, close and low-friction.
Guidance for BelgiumLuxembourg
A fully handled, concierge-forward London pathway.
Guidance for LuxembourgFrance
Eurostar from Paris with no flight, fast and civilised.
Guidance for FranceSwitzerland
High-net-worth, concierge-forward, precision and outcomes.
Guidance for SwitzerlandIreland
English-speaking, about an hour from Dublin.
Guidance for IrelandTravelling from somewhere else?
We treat patients from around the world. If your country is not listed, start with a discovery call or a virtual consultation with Professor Lee and we will tailor the plan to you.
Virtual consultation with Professor LeeProof
Stories from patients who travelled
The most reassuring thing for a patient weighing an international trip is another patient who has already made it. International stories are anchored by country, with video where available. We only ever publish genuine, attributable stories.
See international patient storiesAuthority
The surgeon you are choosing
International patients are usually choosing between a small number of world specialists, so the surgeon matters more than any single treatment. Your consultation, your treatment and your follow-up are all with Professor Paul Lee.
- Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and medical engineer, PhD
- Internationally published in cartilage repair and joint preservation, cited over 1,000 times
- Lead of an ICRS teaching centre for cartilage regeneration
- Joint-replacement outcomes recorded in the National Joint Registry, within the expected range
- Member of the British Association for Surgery of the Knee (BASK)
Costs and insurance
Direct pay, with pay-and-claim-back insurance
Treatment is quoted in pounds sterling. If you hold international private medical insurance, it is usually handled as pay-and-claim-back: you settle with the clinic and claim using an itemised invoice. No hidden extras, and a personalised quote after your assessment.
International patients
Frequently asked questions
Do you treat international patients at London Cartilage Clinic?
Yes. Patients travel to us from North America, Europe and Australia. The pathway is built to minimise trips: much of the early conversation happens by discovery call and virtual consultation with Professor Lee before you plan any travel.
Do I have to fly in for the first consultation?
No. The first step is a discovery call, followed by a virtual consultation with Professor Lee. Imaging is often reviewed in advance, so you travel only when there is a clear plan.
How is payment handled from abroad?
Treatment is direct pay, quoted in pounds sterling, with your bank handling the currency conversion. Where you hold international private medical insurance it is usually pay-and-claim-back: you settle with the clinic and claim using an itemised invoice.
Can you help with the hotel, transfers and logistics?
Yes. The concierge service covers a high-level hotel arrangement with our partner The Landmark London, chauffeur transfers, a dedicated coordinator, and medical records and MRI coordination, from your first call through recovery.
Which treatments do international patients travel for?
Most travel for cartilage repair and regeneration that aims to preserve the joint rather than replace it, including ChondroFiller, Liquid Cartilage and STACi, and for ACL repair that keeps your own ligament. Suitability is always assessed individually.
Can follow-up happen back in my home country?
Early reviews take place in London, and later follow-up and rehabilitation are coordinated closer to home, with Professor Lee available for remote review.
Start your journey to London Cartilage Clinic
Wherever you are travelling from, the first step is the same. Book a discovery call, or have a virtual consultation with Professor Lee before you plan any travel.