Heart and vessels · Treatment in Türkiye
Heart surgery in Turkey: bypass, valve surgery and stents in Istanbul
Patients who have been advised to have bypass surgery, a heart valve operation or a coronary angiogram with stenting sometimes consider treatment at a large hospital in Istanbul. This guide explains which procedures are available, how to choose a cardiac team, how the process works and when it is safe to travel.
Why patients choose Türkiye for heart surgery
When a planned heart operation has been recommended, many patients want a second opinion and a team with wide experience in that specific procedure. The large private hospital groups in Istanbul combine cardiology, catheter labs, cardiac surgery and cardiac intensive care in one building, along with international patient departments.
Patients most often mention:
- relatively quick access to angiography, echocardiography and cardiac CT;
- teams experienced in bypass surgery, valve surgery and catheter procedures such as TAVI;
- short direct flights from Sofia, Varna and many European cities;
- coordination and interpreting in the patient's own language.
One point needs to be clear: emergencies are not treated abroad. With a heart attack or sudden chest pain, call the emergency number (112 in the EU) – this page is only about planned procedures.
Which procedures are available
Heart surgery and interventional cardiology cover several main groups of procedures. For the conditions themselves, see our guide to heart disease.
- Coronary angiography and stenting – a catheter is passed through an artery at the wrist or groin to image the coronary arteries; a narrowing is opened with a balloon and a stent is placed.
- Coronary bypass surgery – for narrowings in several coronary arteries or the left main stem, blood is rerouted with grafts from a chest-wall artery or a leg vein; sometimes on a beating heart.
- Valve surgery – replacement or repair of the aortic or mitral valve in heart valve disease; in some patients through a small incision (minimally invasive).
- TAVI – aortic valve replacement through a catheter without opening the chest, most often for older patients or those at high surgical risk.
- Treatment of heart rhythm disorders – electrophysiology studies, ablation, pacemakers or implantable defibrillators.
Who decides which procedure you need
Under European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines, in complex cases the choice between a stent, bypass or valve surgery is made by a Heart Team – a cardiologist, an interventional cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon who review the images, symptoms, age and other conditions together.
Besides imaging, functional tests matter – for example an exercise test, stress echocardiography or measuring blood flow across a narrowing (FFR) during angiography. They show whether a narrowing really limits the blood supply to the heart muscle and help avoid unnecessary procedures.
That is why it helps to ask first for a second opinion on your records – discharge letters, ECG, echocardiogram and the angiogram recording on a disc. Sometimes it confirms the need for surgery; sometimes it suggests a less invasive approach or optimising medication first. New City Clinic arranges such reviews and usually sends a written plan within 24 hours of receiving the records.
How to choose a hospital and cardiac surgeon
Questions to ask before deciding:
- Does the hospital have cardiac surgery, a catheter lab and a cardiac intensive care unit on one site?
- Who is the cardiac surgeon, and what is their experience with this exact operation?
- Has a Heart Team discussed the case, and why was this approach chosen?
- Which type of valve is proposed (mechanical or biological), and what does that mean for blood-thinning treatment?
- What does the plan include: tests, surgery, intensive care, rehabilitation, check-ups?
- Will you receive a full discharge summary and procedure records for your own cardiologist?
New City Clinic works with the Acıbadem, Medicana, Medipol and Medical Park hospital groups and Biruni University Hospital – see partner hospitals.
How the process works, step by step
- Sharing your records. Discharge letters, ECG, echocardiogram, angiogram or cardiac CT recordings, blood tests and a medication list – sent securely.
- Second opinion and written plan. A cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon review the records and propose a written plan covering tests, the procedure and the expected stay.
- Travel. Airport pick-up, accommodation, and a meeting with your coordinator and interpreter.
- Pre-procedure tests. Angiography, echocardiography or blood tests are repeated if needed, and an anaesthetic assessment is done.
- Procedure and hospital stay. After open-heart surgery you spend time in intensive care, then on the ward with early rehabilitation.
- Check-up and going home. A final check-up takes place before the flight; you receive a discharge summary and medication plan for your cardiologist at home.
What to prepare
- angiogram and CT recordings on a disc, not just the reports;
- your latest echocardiogram and ECG;
- a full list of medicines and doses – especially blood thinners and diabetes medicines, which are sometimes paused before a procedure, but only on a doctor's instruction;
- details of any allergies, including to contrast dye;
- a companion who can stay with you for the whole trip.
Length of stay and recovery
How long you stay depends on the procedure and on your recovery:
| Procedure | Typical hospital stay | Total time in Istanbul (approximate) |
|---|---|---|
| Angiography and stent | 1–2 days | a few days |
| TAVI | a few days | about a week |
| Bypass or valve surgery | about 5–10 days | about two weeks or longer |
| Ablation or pacemaker | 1–2 days | a few days |
After open-heart surgery the breastbone takes around 6–12 weeks to heal: no heavy lifting, and driving is postponed as advised. A cardiac rehabilitation programme – supervised exercise, nutrition and stopping smoking – greatly supports recovery and can continue at home.
Risks and aftercare
Every heart procedure carries risks that are discussed individually: bleeding, infection of the wound or breastbone, rhythm disturbances (most often atrial fibrillation after surgery), stroke and kidney injury; after a stent, stent thrombosis or bleeding at the puncture site.
After a stent, two antiplatelet medicines are usually taken for a set period; after a mechanical valve, an anticoagulant is taken for life with regular monitoring. These medicines must not be stopped on your own. In the long term, control of blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes, regular activity and heart-healthy eating matter most.
Flying after heart surgery is approved by the treating team; keep your medicines and discharge summary in your hand luggage.
Insurance and reimbursement
The EU Cross-Border Healthcare Directive (2011/24/EU) and the S2 form cover treatment within the EU and EEA. Türkiye is not an EU member, so these routes generally do not apply, and the procedure is usually paid for by the patient or a private insurer. Ask your national health insurer in advance what is covered after your return – check-ups, tests and medicines.
When to see a doctor
See a cardiologist if you have breathlessness on exertion, chest pain or tightness with effort, palpitations, dizzy spells or swollen ankles. Call emergency services immediately for severe chest pain lasting more than a few minutes, sudden breathlessness or collapse.
After surgery, contact the team if you develop a fever, redness or discharge from the wound, increasing breathlessness, rapid weight gain or an irregular pulse. For how treatment is organised, see Treatment in Türkiye.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go to Turkey for emergency heart treatment?
No. With a heart attack, sudden chest pain or acute breathlessness, call emergency services and be treated at the nearest hospital. Treatment abroad is only considered for planned procedures.
How soon after bypass surgery can I fly home?
Usually around two weeks after the operation if recovery is uncomplicated, but the cardiac surgeon decides. A check-up is done before the flight.
Stent or bypass – which is better?
It depends on the number and location of the narrowings, how well the heart pumps, diabetes and other factors. In complex cases the Heart Team decides according to ESC guidelines.
What is TAVI?
Aortic valve replacement through a catheter, usually via an artery in the groin, without opening the chest. It is most often used for older patients or those at high risk from open surgery. The Heart Team makes the choice.
Who will follow me up after I return?
Your own cardiologist. Bring a full discharge summary, the operation report and your medication plan, and book the first check-up before you travel.
Sources
This article is for education and does not replace consultation, diagnosis or treatment by a doctor. In an emergency call 112.
