General surgery abroad

Gallbladder removal, also called a cholecystectomy, is an operation to remove the gallbladder, a small organ in the upper right part of the tummy that stores bile. Gallstones are stones that form in the gallbladder, and they are listed together with gallbladder removal. A hernia is where part of an internal organ, such as the bowel, pushes through a gap or weak area in the muscle that keeps the organs in place. Most hernias develop in the tummy or the groin. A hiatus hernia is when part of the stomach moves up into the chest, and surgery for it is listed together with surgery for reflux.

The area also covers haemorrhoid treatment, colorectal surgery, thyroid and parathyroid surgery, and surgery on the liver, pancreas and bile ducts. If you are not sure which procedure you need, choose "Not sure yet" under general surgery when you describe your case, or write in your own words what your doctor has told you. The clinic looks at the details of your case before it makes you an offer.

Turkey offers every general surgery procedure on Medbook's list, in Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Adana, Bodrum, Bursa, Eskişehir and Kayseri. You do not have to choose a city first. Each offer shows where your treatment takes place, so you can compare places as well as dates.

Every service on Medbook's list is arranged in Turkey: airport and clinic transfers, accommodation, an interpreter, a personal coordinator, visa support, an online consultation before you travel and aftercare. Once you confirm an offer, your roadmap lets you book flights and transfers yourself or ask Medbook to arrange them.

How long you stay depends on the procedure, and your clinic confirms the dates in its offer. When the assistant asks how many days you can spend abroad, choose the option that really fits your plans.

Gather the records that show your condition as it is today: ultrasound, CT or MRI scans with their written reports, the results of any endoscopy or colonoscopy, recent blood test results and letters from your doctor. Add notes on any earlier surgery on the abdomen. Write down the medications you take and any allergies. The assistant asks about chronic conditions, allergies and medications when you describe your case.

An online consultation before you travel is among the services arranged in Turkey. Questions worth asking in it:

• Which scans or tests do you need, and how recent should they be?
• Will the operation be done as keyhole surgery or as open surgery?
• How long should I plan to stay, and when can I fly home?
• Which follow-up checks are planned, and can my doctor at home do any of them?

When you compare offers, look at the dates and at whether follow-up is included.