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Turkey is slowly becoming the hub of medical tourism with many traveling to the country for medical and cosmetic procedures. One of the most commonly performed procedures is a liver transplant in Turkey. It is performed in high-quality liver transplant centers in Turkey at an affordable cost. 

The Benefit Of Choosing Liver Transplant Turkey Clinic

Low Liver Transplant Cost in Turkey

The costs of a liver transplant in Turkey average around €77,000 which is almost half of the cost of the procedure in other European countries. It is also worth mentioning that the low costs should not be misconstrued as the low quality of the procedure or its results. 

In fact, Turkey liver transplant has an extremely high success rate. The low cost is mainly because of low general wage costs and a high supply of skilled and qualified transplant surgeons. 

Best Liver Transplant Surgeons In Turkey

Turkey has a high supply of all board-certified, well-trained, and skilled surgeons and doctors for cosmetic and medical procedures. The surgeons begin working with you from the beginning and make sure that you are eligible for the procedure. 

Eligibility checks are done to ensure that the procedure is safe for you and that your body can handle the procedure. A liver transplant in Turkey is a major procedure and only those eligible for it should undergo it. 

State-of-the-art Liver Transplant Centers In Turkey

There are several best liver transplant hospitals in Turkey that provide round-the-clock care to their patients. The hospitals are equipped with the best tools and technology to make your procedure as safe and successful as possible. 

Moreover, the liver transplant centers in Turkey have all the luxurious amenities that you would need, to make your stay more comfortable. Also, there are translators available to remove any language barriers that may arise. 

Overall, these centers ensure you have the best liver transplant in Turkey experience. 

Liver Transplant Cost in Turkey

The average liver transplant cost Turkey is around €48,000 to €56,000. There may be additional costs for liver function tests that need to be performed both before and after the procedure. 

The Best Candidate for Liver Transplantation in Turkey

To be able to undergo a liver transplant in Turkey, you need to be:

  • Physically and mentally healthy, with the exception of end-stage liver disease.

  • Alcohol-free for at least the last six months and willing to quit alcohol after the procedure

  • Willing to be medically compliant and take care of your health

  • Willing to travel to Turkey for the procedure.

The Next Steps If You Plan To Have Liver Organ Transplant in Turkey

  • Do your research. You should find the best hospital in Turkey for liver transplants. This is to guarantee the best results from the procedure. 

  • Find the best liver transplant surgeon in Turkey. You can do so by reading the online reviews and testimonials of the surgeon of your choosing. You need a surgeon who will be actively involved in the treatment and not just in the surgery aspect of the treatment. 

  • Perform an online consultation with the team. Clear with them before deciding to travel as traveling is not recommended for all patients requiring a liver transplant.

Liver Transplant Clinics(22 Clinics)

SORTED BY:
Luna Clinic Turkey
Istanbul, Turkey
Luna Clinic Turkey Verified
  • Preliminary and follow-up examination
  • 98% would recommend
  • 1000+ operations last year
  • Internationally trained surgeons
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From
€45,000
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Istanbul European Clinic
Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul European Clinic Verified
  • 97% would recommend
  • Uses cutting-edge tech
  • Accredited by TSAPS (Turkish Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery)
  • Well-equipped staff
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From
€46,000
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Koç Healthcare Institutions
Istanbul, Turkey
Koç Healthcare Institutions Verified
  • Follows strict standards to deliver exceptional services
  • ISO 9001 Quality Management System
  • Founded in 1997
  • Internationally recognized surgeons
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From
€65,000
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Memorial Atasehir Hospital
Istanbul, Turkey
Memorial Atasehir Hospital Verified
  • Accredited by JCI
  • Award-winning surgeons
  • High review rate
  • 7/24 working center
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From
€66,380
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Acibadem Maslak Hospital
Istanbul, Turkey
Acibadem Maslak Hospital Verified
  • 90% would recommend
  • ISO 9001:2008 and JCI accreditations
  • Leed Gold Certified
  • 231 patient rooms
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From
€90,000
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Memorial Antalya Hospital
Antalya, Turkey
Memorial Antalya Hospital Verified
  • Designed with modern medical technology
  • Uses the latest technology
  • Has 132 patient beds
  • Accredited by American College & JCI
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From
€97,360
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Memorial Sisli Hospital
Istanbul, Turkey
Memorial Sisli Hospital Verified
  • Popular by international patients
  • 200 bed capacity
  • JCI-Certified
  • Has an advanced medical technology
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From
€83,200
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Medipol Mega University Hospital
Istanbul, Turkey
Medipol Mega University Hospital Verified
  • One of Turkey's largest hospitals
  • Accredited by ISO, JCI and the TUV
  • High review rate
  • Online doctor consultations
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From
€92,000
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Medical Park Gaziosmanpasa Hospital
Istanbul, Turkey
Medical Park Gaziosmanpasa Hospital Verified
  • Biggest private hospital in Istanbul
  • Advanced post-op care system
  • Internationally trained surgeons
  • JCI accredited clinic
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Memorial Ankara Hospital
Ankara, Turkey
Memorial Ankara Hospital Verified
  • 42,000 square meters of closed area
  • 94% would recommend
  • Designed as a world-class hospital
  • JCI-Certified
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From
€97,360
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By Abdulaziz Ali - Medically reviewed by Dr. Hasan L. Lice, on Apr 24, 2023

Liver Transplant Treatment Recovery Time

The recovery time from a liver transplant procedure is quite long, usually averaging around six or more months. While you may be able to resume your daily life after a couple of months, you should still be quite careful during these six months to ensure proper recovery. 

How is a Liver Transplant Procedure Performed?

A liver transplant in Turkey procedure can take anywhere between 6 hours to 12 hours, depending on the complexıty of the case. The transplant procedure begins with the surgeon making an incision on the right side of the abdomen. This will allow the surgeon to access the damaged liver and remove it to place the donor's liver.

The newly transplanted liver needs to be connected to the nerves and bile ducts so that all the neighboring organs can continue to work as one functional unit. With this, the transplant procedure is complete and the surgeon will then suture the incisions. 

 

1. Consultation for Liver Transplant

Your treatment process begins with an online consultation. Our experts listen to your health story, your liver condition’s progression status, and your expectations. They will inform you about whether you need a liver transplant or other treatments.

It is important to share all your health information that may be useful at this stage. If available, please share your diagnosis and treatment process documents, imaging results, and information about your current health status with the health providers during this online consultation.

2. Planning Your Trip and Choosing the Clinic

After your first evaluation, we offer a list of liver transplant clinics that meet the criteria you provide us. You will then examine all and decide on one of them. Depending on your choice, we move on to planning the entire treatment process.

3. Final Consultation with Your Surgeon

When you arrive at the clinic, you will have a face-to-face consultation with your doctor. Everything about your liver transplant surgery will be discussed and decided during this consultation.

The doctor will ask you some questions to try to understand your expectations and concerns better and also make you understand what you should expect from your treatment with its potential risks or complications. Your doctor will explain the whole process clearly for you to feel enlightened and ready.

4. Medical Examinations

Before the liver transplant surgery begins, your surgeon will perform a series of tests to ensure that there are no contraindications. He or she will conduct physical and blood tests to make sure that you are in acceptable health status for the surgery and to eliminate the risks that can hinder the success of the procedure.

As soon as the patient becomes a candidate for a liver transplant, the patient is regularly followed up at the hospital to carry out various examinations (blood tests, medical imaging examinations). The patient must also be up to date with his vaccinations (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, pertussis Hemophilus influenza b).

Vaccination against influenza, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, pneumococcus, MMR, chickenpox) is highly recommended.

While waiting for a donor, the patient can wait several months before being transplanted, this time varies depending on the indication for the transplant but also the severity of his condition.

5. Surgery

A liver transplant takes place under general anesthesia. A venous line, a urinary catheter, a gastric tube, and tracheal intubation are placed.

The procedure takes place in two stages:

  • Removal of the diseased liver (hepatectomy): the surgeon makes a horizontal incision under the ribs, and vertical towards the sternum. It cuts the ligamentous attachments of the liver, the blood vessels arriving at the liver (hepatic artery and portal vein), those leaving it (hepatic veins) as well as the main bile duct, then removes the diseased liver.
  • Healthy liver transplant: the surgeon places the graft in the abdomen, connects the blood vessels to quickly re-supply the graft, and then the various vessels transporting the bile. The surgeon then tests the circulation of blood and bile. Small redons are placed to evacuate liquids, as well as a bile drain.

These two stages must be perfectly synchronized because the graft must remain as short as possible deprived of blood circulation. Anti-rejection treatment is started in the operating room.

What Happens After Liver Transplant Surgery?

  • The patient remains in the intensive care unit for at least 72 hours, during which he is subject to increased surveillance day and night (scope monitoring, blood pressure, blood test every 8 hours, ultrasound of the liver) to ensure that the body recovers from the operation, that the graft works properly and that the patient supports the anti-rejection treatment.
  • The drain is removed between 3 and 4 months after the transplant. During this period, her dressing should be changed regularly by a home nurse. Recovery lasts approximately 6 months, depending on the patient's condition.
  • After a transplant, immunosuppressants or anti-rejection medicines are prescribed for life to help keep your body from rejecting the new liver. This treatment modulates the immune system and thus reduces the risk of rejection of the graft.
  • At the same time, the transplant recipient must regularly carry out assessments at the transplant center (ultrasound, blood tests) to control the functioning of the liver, prevent possible rejection, and detect the side effects of anti-rejection treatment. The frequency of follow-up is less and less approximated over time (every week for the first 3 months, then 1-2 times a year after the 3rd year).

Side Effects of Liver Transplant Surgery

The major complication of liver transplant surgery is a rejection of the donor's liver by the recipient's body. The rejection can happen immediately, within a couple of days, or years later. Some of the other common reactions to liver transplants in Turkey are:

  • Bile duct leaks, injury, or shrinking during the re-connection with the donor's liver
  • Infection
  • Bleeding
  • Blood clots in the leg (DVT) leading to pulmonary embolism
  • Seizures

Liver Transplant Surgery Results

Liver transplant success rates in Turkey are quite high. Most patients are generally quite happy with the results of the procedure and enjoy a general life expectancy of 10 to 20 more years due to the transplant. 

How To Prepare For Liver Transplant?

  • Have a loved one accompany you and your donor to Turkey. They will help you through the procedure and the recovery period.
  • Stay healthy and be as physically active, as your body will allow. 
  • Speak to your primary care doctor to adjust the dosage of any medications that you may be taking.

Quick Facts

Procedure

 Liver Transplant

Duration

 4 - 8 hours

Cost in Turkey

 €48,000 - €56,000

Anesthesia

 General anesthesia 

Recovery

 6 months

Final Results

 One year

Side Effects

 Infection, mental confusion, or seizures 

Risks

 Infections, blood clots, rejection of donated liver

Success Rate

 80%

Exercise

 After 8 weeks (moderate)

Back To Work

 After 3 -6 months 

Scars

 Yes

Pain

 Moderate 

Related Procedures

 Hepatocyte transplantation

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can you transplant the liver? 

Yes, the liver is an organ that can be transplanted, when medically necessary. The liver transplant success rate in Turkey is quite high, indicating the safety and efficacy of the procedure. 

What is the life expectancy after a successful liver transplant?

The life expectancy after a successful liver transplant in Turkey is quite high with people living, on average, for at least 10 years after the procedure. Many go on to live for over 20 years.

What is the minimum cost of a liver transplant?

The minimum cost of a liver transplant in Turkey is around €50,000 which is significantly lower than the costs in other European countries. 

When Do You Need A Liver Transplant?

Liver transplants are used in cases of end-stage liver failure; when the liver is no longer able to perform its functions.

What Are the Side Effects of Immunosuppressants?

Possible side effects of immunosuppressants include:

  • Infection
  • High levels of cholesterol
  • Diabetes
  • Kidney damage
  • High blood pressure

What Happens If You Drink Alcohol After A Liver Transplant?

Alcoholic beverage consumption after transplant is not recommended, even for people who have not had alcohol-related liver disease. Alcohol is broken down by the liver and drinking alcohol forces the liver to make extra effort.