General surgery in Turkey

General surgery is not one operation. Cost and recovery depend on which procedure you are having, so start from the line matching your diagnosis. The linked pages carry their own prices. For the procedures without a link, ask a coordinator for a written quote.

• Inguinal hernia repair: a weakness in the groin wall that tissue pushes through.
• Mastectomy: removal of breast tissue, usually to treat breast cancer.
• Liver transplant: end-stage liver disease. For international patients, with a living donor who travels with you, usually a close relative.
• Kidney transplant: kidney failure. For international patients, with a living donor who travels with you, usually a close relative.
• Bone marrow transplant: blood and bone marrow disorders such as leukaemia.
• Cholecystectomy, or gallbladder removal: gallstones and gallbladder inflammation.
• Colorectal surgery: colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.
• Reflux and hiatal hernia surgery: long-standing reflux that medication does not control.
• Endocrine and thyroid surgery: thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal gland disease.

Transplants follow Turkish transplant law. If you travel to Turkey for a transplant, plan on a living donor who travels with you. The law allows your spouse or a relative, by blood or by marriage, within the degrees of kinship it sets. Any other donor needs approval from an ethics committee, and for some international patients the committee reviews related donors too. Buying or selling an organ is a crime in Turkey.

Weight loss surgery has its own Turkey page, bariatric surgery in Turkey, and cataract surgery belongs to eye care: cataract surgery in Turkey.

What you pay turns on which operation you are having, whether it is done laparoscopically or open, how many nights you stay, and which hospital you choose. General surgery is not priced as a specialty, so the only useful figure is the one for your own procedure.

Compare quotes on what they include, not on the headline figure. A quote covering the surgeon, the stay, consumables such as mesh, and follow-up is not the same offer as one covering the operation alone. Ask for yours in writing before you commit to anything.

Disclosure: Assoc. Prof. Muhammed Zübeyr Üçüncü, who medically reviewed this page, is also an independent partner surgeon of Istanbul European Clinic, one of the clinics listed on this page, and reviews the medical content of that clinic's website.

The surgeon decides whether an operation suits you by looking at several criteria:

• Your condition: General surgery may be recommended for conditions such as appendicitis, gallstones, hernias, gastrointestinal tumours, and more. The surgeon must determine which treatment suits your case.
• Your general health: Your general health and well-being will determine your candidacy for surgery. You should be in good health to undergo surgery. The doctor will consider any pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, or respiratory disorders, to minimize the risk of complications.
• Surgical risk: The surgeon will conduct a thorough risk assessment to check surgery's potential risks and benefits. Your age, smoking status, and previous surgical history may influence the surgical approach. If you're dealing with complications, you might need more pre-operative evaluations to mitigate risks.

Recovery depends on the type and complexity of the procedure, and on your own health and any underlying conditions.

Most patients leave hospital within a few days, but full recovery can take several weeks or longer. How long you stay in Turkey is your surgeon's call, in many cases a week or two, so that follow-up happens before you fly.

You can usually resume light work within a few weeks, longer if your job is physically demanding. Light walking is often encouraged early, but postpone heavy exercise until your surgeon clears you.

Your doctor may set a diet for the procedure you had, often soft food, plenty of fluids, and avoiding anything that irritates the digestive system while you heal.

What counts as a good result depends on the procedure and on the condition it was treating. Your surgeon will tell you what to expect in your case, how long it should take, and what the follow-up schedule is.

• Start from your diagnosis: know which operation your doctor has recommended.
• Check that the hospital holds Ministry of Health health tourism certification, and that your surgeon is registered with the Turkish Medical Association.
• Verify the surgeon's experience. Ask about the surgeon's training, any fellowship, and how often they perform this operation.
• Arrange an online consultation through Flymedi. Most clinics or hospitals that work with international patients offer this service.
• Ask what the follow-up and aftercare steps are once the surgery is done.
• Plan your trip well, and give yourself time to rest after the treatment.