The starting point
No surgery is risk-free
Complications can happen after surgery wherever it is performed.[NHS] The CDC notes that the risk depends on the facility, and on whether you are in good health for the procedure.[CDC] Choosing well lowers the risk; nothing removes it.
The complications specific to your operation are listed in the risks section of its procedure guide. This page covers what applies to all of them, and to being a long way from the surgeon who treated you.
If you feel unwell
Symptoms, sorted by what to do
These descriptions are the NHS’s own. They apply in Türkiye and after you are home.
Emergency
Call an ambulance or go to an emergency department
- Severe difficulty breathing, pain in the chest or upper back, or a very fast heartbeat[NHS]
- Pain and swelling in a leg together with shortness of breath or chest pain[NHS]
- Breathing very fast[NHS]
- Confusion, slurred speech, or not making sense[NHS]
- Blue, pale or blotchy skin — on brown or black skin this may be easier to see on the palms or soles[NHS]
- A very high or very low temperature, feeling hot or cold to the touch, or shivering[NHS]
- A rash that does not fade when you press it[NHS]
Several of these can be signs of sepsis, which the NHS says needs medical help immediately.[NHS] In Türkiye call 112[112]; in the UK call 999. Do not drive yourself.[NHS]
Same day
Get an urgent medical assessment the same day
- Difficulty breathing that comes on suddenly[NHS]
- Throbbing pain or swelling in one leg, usually the calf or thigh[NHS]
- Red, blue or darkened skin around a painful area of the leg[NHS]
In the UK the NHS advises an urgent GP appointment or NHS 111 for these.[NHS] Tell whoever assesses you that you have recently had surgery abroad.
Tell your surgeon
Contact your surgical team
- Anything your discharge instructions told you to report
- A change at the wound or operated area that worries you
- Questions about medication, dressings or garments
If you are unsure which tier a symptom belongs in, get medical help rather than waiting for a reply.
The sequence
What to do, in order
- Emergency symptoms come first. Get local emergency care. Do not wait to hear back from a clinic in another country. The NHS generally treats life-threatening complications, according to BAAPS.[BAAPS]
- Then tell your surgeon. You should already have their name and a way to contact them if there is a problem.[BAAPS & TSPRAS] Telling them means your case is on record with the team that treated you.
- Give the treating doctor your records. A doctor who was not in the operating room needs to know what was done. Bring copies of your records, which the CDC advises collecting before you leave, and which may need translating.[CDC]
A specific risk
Infection
Every medical procedure carries some risk of infection. The CDC lists wound infections and bloodstream infections among the complications seen after procedures abroad, and warns that highly drug-resistant bacteria and fungi have caused outbreaks among medical tourists.[CDC]
Two things to do before you book: ask the clinic about its infection rates and back-up services, as BAAPS suggests,[BAAPS] and check the facility’s accreditation, since accrediting bodies set standards a facility must meet.[CDC] The facility guide shows where to check.
If the result needs correcting
Revision surgery
Before you book, the NHS advises finding out what happens if you need more surgery after the original procedure, and how easily you could travel back.[NHS] BAAPS adds that corrections and follow-up treatment should be part of the decision, including whether they would happen in Türkiye or at home.[BAAPS]
Get the revision policy in writing. It should answer:
- which situations qualify for revision, and who decides
- what the surgeon charges for it, and what you would pay separately (flights, hotel, hospital)
- how long after the original operation the policy applies
Money
Who pays for a complication
Ordinary travel insurance does not normally cover things going wrong in surgery.[NHS] BAAPS says the NHS will generally treat life-threatening complications, but other problems may have to be paid for by you, either by returning to your clinic or by paying for correction at home.[BAAPS]
The CDC gives the same warning for US patients: follow-up care for complications can be expensive and prolonged, and may not be covered by your health insurance.[CDC]
Plan the cover before you travel
Paperwork
Records to keep
The CDC advises bringing and collecting:
- copies of your medical records, including test results, before you travel[CDC]
- a list of your medicines with brand names, generic names and doses, and copies of your prescriptions[CDC]
- copies of all your medical records from the facility before you return home[CDC]
When you collect them, ask specifically for the operation note, your discharge instructions and, if you had an implant, its details. Tell the medical staff about any allergies before treatment.[CDC]
