Dr. Roberto Crespo Alarcón

Dr. Roberto Crespo Alarcón is a highly experienced orthopedic surgeon at Hospital Metropolitano in Quito, specializing in joint replacement surgery, arthroscopy, and the management of sports-related musculoskeletal injuries. Over more than two decades of practice in Ecuador's capital, he has built a reputation for technical precision and patient-centered surgical planning that consistently delivers high-quality outcomes for patients with degenerative and traumatic orthopedic conditions.

Operating out of Hospital Metropolitano — which is equipped with modern orthopedic operating theaters and post-operative rehabilitation facilities — Dr. Crespo Alarcón performs high-volume joint replacement surgery for hip and knee osteoarthritis, including minimally invasive approaches that reduce surgical trauma and accelerate recovery. He also has an active arthroscopic surgery practice, treating ligament tears, meniscal injuries, and rotator cuff pathology in athletes and active patients of all ages.

Dr. Crespo Alarcón's sports medicine expertise has made him a trusted orthopedic consultant for amateur and recreational athletes in Quito and the broader Andean highland region, where outdoor activities including hiking, running, and cycling place significant demands on musculoskeletal structures. He takes a conservative-first approach to musculoskeletal care, reserving surgical intervention for cases where non-operative management has been exhausted or where structural damage clearly warrants operative repair.

He is an active member of the Sociedad Ecuatoriana de Ortopedia y Traumatología and contributes to the professional community through case presentations, peer mentorship of orthopedic residents, and participation in AO Trauma continuing education programs.

Dr. Crespo Alarcón earned his MD degree from a leading Ecuadorian medical school before completing an Orthopedic Surgery residency, during which he received broad training in fracture management, elective orthopedic surgery, and pediatric orthopedics. Recognizing the increasing demand for arthroscopic and sports medicine skills, he subsequently completed a fellowship in Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine with training in advanced knee and shoulder arthroscopic techniques.

He has participated in AO Trauma courses and workshops in Latin America, obtaining certification in the principles of internal fixation of fractures. Dr. Crespo Alarcón has also attended cadaveric workshops focused on minimally invasive joint replacement approaches and arthroplasty bearing surface selection, keeping his surgical techniques current with international best practices.

Continuing education has been a consistent theme throughout his career. He regularly attends the congresses of the Sociedad Latinoamericana de Artroscopia, Rodilla y Deporte (SLARD) and participates in joint replacement masterclasses organized by implant manufacturers and orthopedic societies.

Dr. Crespo Alarcón's surgical practice spans three main clinical domains. In arthroplasty, he performs total hip and total knee replacements for osteoarthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, and avascular necrosis, with expertise in both cemented and cementless implant systems. He applies patient-specific planning principles and modern alignment techniques to optimize implant positioning and longevity.

In arthroscopic surgery, his knee practice encompasses meniscal repair and partial meniscectomy, ACL reconstruction using hamstring or patellar tendon autograft, cartilage restoration procedures, and synovectomy. His shoulder arthroscopy practice includes rotator cuff repair, labral stabilization for instability, acromioplasty for impingement, and biceps tenodesis.

In trauma orthopedics, Dr. Crespo Alarcón manages a full range of adult fractures, including fractures of the proximal femur, tibial plateau, distal radius, and ankle, using AO principles of fixation. He also provides acute and subacute consultation for dislocations and ligamentous injuries that may require surgical stabilization.

Dr. Crespo Alarcón's research interests focus on outcomes of total joint replacement in Ecuadorian patients, including functional recovery trajectories, implant survivorship at medium-term follow-up, and the impact of pre-operative patient education on rehabilitation adherence. He has presented surgical outcome data at national and regional orthopedic congresses and has contributed to discussions on adapting international arthroplasty registry frameworks to the Ecuadorian context.

He is also interested in sports injury epidemiology in high-altitude environments, having observed patterns of musculoskeletal adaptation and injury in Andean athletes and outdoor enthusiasts that may differ from those reported in sea-level populations. He views clinical data collection and audit as essential tools for continuous surgical quality improvement.

Dr. Crespo Alarcón regularly treats patients from across Ecuador and receives referrals from neighboring countries seeking joint replacement or complex arthroscopic surgery in a well-equipped Quito facility. Hospital Metropolitano provides comprehensive international patient support, including assistance with appointment scheduling, pre-operative medical clearance, surgical coordination, and post-operative physiotherapy.

Consultations are conducted in Spanish and English. For international patients considering joint replacement surgery, Dr. Crespo Alarcón is available for video consultations to review imaging studies (X-rays and MRI) and assess surgical candidacy before patients travel. Full pre-operative workup, surgery, and structured post-operative rehabilitation can be arranged through Hospital Metropolitano.

Dr. Crespo Alarcón is a recognized member of the Sociedad Ecuatoriana de Ortopedia y Traumatología (SEOT) and the Sociedad Latinoamericana de Artroscopia, Rodilla y Deporte (SLARD). He holds AO Trauma certification and has been recognized by Hospital Metropolitano for sustained surgical excellence and contributions to the department's orthopedic training program. He is a respected figure in Ecuador's orthopedic community and is regularly invited to speak at national congresses on topics including minimally invasive arthroplasty and ACL reconstruction techniques.