Which documents you need, how long to stay and when you can fly. What health authorities advise for surgery abroad, and how the clinic handles each point.
Surgery in another country, when it is well planned, is not very different from surgery close to home. The difference is that most of the planning happens before you travel. The UK’s NHS and the US CDC give similar advice on this. Below we list that advice and how it is handled at the clinic.
Talk to the surgeon first
The NHS advises two consultations with the surgeon before any procedure, and not only meetings with sales staff. Here the first consultation is online with Dr. Delioğlu, based on your photos. The second is the face-to-face examination at the clinic the day before surgery.
Prepare your documents
- Reports and CT scans from any previous nose surgery
- A list of the medication you take
- Information on chronic conditions and allergies
- Clear photos from the front, the side and below
The CDC also recommends getting copies of all your records before you return home. When you leave hospital, you receive the operation note and your medication list in writing.
How long to stay
For a primary rhinoplasty, most patients stay seven to ten days in Istanbul. After revision surgery it can be ten to fourteen days. We do not plan a return before the splint and stitches are removed.
When to fly
“Air travel and major surgery increase your risk of a blood clot”
The NHS suggests waiting seven to ten days after facial surgery before flying. We ask you to book your flight after the visit where the splint comes off. On long flights, drink water and walk from time to time.
Follow-up after you return
The NHS advises asking how an overseas clinic handles follow-up. Here, follow-up continues online after you fly home. We ask for photos at set times and answer questions on WhatsApp. If needed, we refer you to a doctor where you live.
A short checklist
- Online consultation and photo review done
- Surgery and follow-up dates confirmed
- Flight booked after the splint removal visit
- Travel health insurance cover checked
- Medication list and previous reports packed
This article is general information. It does not replace an examination.
