For patients in South Africa

Intestinal surgery in Turkey from South Africa: a plain guide

Intestinal surgery covers operations on the small or large bowel. It is major surgery. For South African patients what matters most is a clear diagnosis before you travel and a doctor at home ready to follow you up afterwards.

What intestinal surgery treats

Surgery may be advised for bowel obstruction, diverticular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, benign growths and bowel cancer. Often a diseased section of bowel is removed and the healthy ends are joined; other reconstructive techniques are used where needed. Keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery is used where appropriate. More detail is on the intestinal surgery treatment page.

Urgent bowel problems are treated at home

Severe abdominal pain, a swollen abdomen with vomiting, being unable to pass wind or stools, or heavy bleeding from the back passage need emergency care in South Africa. Travel to Turkey is only for planned, non-urgent surgery once the diagnosis is known.

Continuity of care comes first

Before anything is booked, the surgeon needs your full picture, and you need a plan for after you come home. Please:

• Send colonoscopy reports, biopsy and pathology results, and recent CT or MRI scans with the radiologist’s reports
• Send recent blood tests, a list of all medication and details of other conditions
• Ask your gastroenterologist or GP in South Africa whether they will follow you up, and share the plan with them
• If the surgery is for cancer, make sure your oncology team at home is involved in the decision, as further treatment may follow
• Ask the surgeon about clot risk and when it is safe to make a ten-hour flight

Recovery and the flight home

• Days 1–3: walking starts early. Abdominal pain, bloating and tiredness are normal and are treated; your wounds and bowel function are watched closely
• Days 4–7: most people improve and manage light activity. Most are cleared to fly after five to seven days, if the surgeon agrees
• Weeks 2–4: energy slowly returns; follow the advice on diet and activity
• Weeks 6–8: most people return to normal activity, including exercise, once cleared

The surgeon may ask you to stay longer after a complex operation, so book a return ticket you can change. Where the treatment page says so, patients recover at Mandarin Grove near İzmir between check-ups.

Risks

Risks include bleeding, infection, blood clots, temporary changes in bowel function and slow wound healing and, more rarely, leakage where the bowel has been joined, injury to nearby organs or the need for further surgery. Some of these can appear after you are home. Know the warning signs, such as fever or worsening abdominal pain, and have a hospital in South Africa you would go to.

Planning the trip from South Africa

• Flights: direct flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Istanbul take around ten hours, followed by a short domestic flight to İzmir
• Visa: South Africans need an e-Visa, applied for online before travelling; see the e-Visa guide
• Records home: the operation note, discharge summary and pathology report, for your doctors at home
• Time difference: İzmir is only one hour ahead of South Africa, which makes follow-up calls easy
• Cover: South African medical schemes generally do not cover elective treatment abroad, so check with your scheme before you book; standard travel insurance usually excludes planned treatment abroad

Medical complications from the operation, and any clinically necessary revision, are covered for one year by our treatment guarantee. Covered treatment is carried out in İzmir at no charge, but flights and accommodation are yours to pay, and treatment by another provider after you return home is not covered. Read more on the clinic facts page and our complaints page, and see the general surgery guide for South African patients.

What we will not do

We will not book bowel surgery before a surgeon has reviewed your records, we will not plan cancer surgery without your oncology team, and we will not clear you to fly sooner than the surgeon judges safe.

Frequently asked questions

What conditions can intestinal surgery treat?

Bowel obstruction, diverticular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, benign growths and bowel cancer. A surgeon reviews your records and decides whether planned surgery in Turkey is suitable.

How long will I need to stay in Turkey?

Most patients are cleared to fly after five to seven days, but recovery depends on the operation, and the surgeon may ask you to stay longer before a ten-hour flight.

Who will follow me up in South Africa?

Arrange this before you book. Ask your gastroenterologist or GP to follow you up, share the plan with them and take the operation and pathology reports home.

What are the main risks of bowel surgery?

Bleeding, infection, blood clots, changes in bowel function and slow healing, and more rarely a leak where the bowel is joined, injury to nearby organs or further surgery.

Will my medical aid cover intestinal surgery in Turkey?

South African medical schemes generally do not cover elective treatment abroad, and travel insurance usually excludes planned treatment. Check with your scheme before you book.

Start with a free online consultation. Planning the trip? Read the guide for South African patients and the e-Visa guide.