Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Görkem Kıyak
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Deformity Correction & Limb Lengthening
Scoliosis surgery in Turkey
A guide to operative treatment of scoliosis in Turkey: when surgery is advised, spinal fusion with screws and rods and growth-friendly options, approximate costs against the UK, the US and Germany, hospital stay, recovery, flying home, risks and the questions to ask a spine surgeon.
A written plan with the surgeon's name and the full price — usually within 24 hours.
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- Deformity Correction & Limb Lengthening
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- €16,080
Verified surgeons for Operative Treatment of Scoliosis
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Scoliosis surgery in Turkey: what to know before you book
Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine, usually with a twist of the vertebrae. Most curves are mild and are watched or braced. Surgery is considered when a curve is large or keeps growing, or when an adult has pain or imbalance that other treatment has not helped. Operative treatment of scoliosis in Turkey starts at €16,080 at a partner hospital.
This is major surgery, and the decision should rest on your spine surgeon's assessment of your full-spine X-rays, not on price. This page explains when surgery is advised, how the operation works, what it costs compared with care at home, the hospital stay and recovery, and what to check before you travel. A free quote starts with your X-rays and MRI. For the general overview of the condition see scoliosis surgery.
When is scoliosis surgery advised?
Doctors measure the curve by its Cobb angle on a standing X-ray. As a general guide, curves under about 25 degrees are watched, curves of roughly 25 to 40 degrees in a growing child are often braced, and curves over about 45 to 50 degrees are commonly considered for surgery because they tend to progress even after growth ends. Surgery may also be advised for a curve that is progressing quickly, for pain, for a visible imbalance of the trunk or, rarely, for effects on breathing or nerves. Your surgeon decides using your age, growth stage, curve type and symptoms. The non-surgical options are described under conservative treatment of scoliosis.
Operations used for scoliosis
| Operation | What it does | Typically used for |
|---|---|---|
| Posterior spinal fusion | Screws and rods straighten the curve and the vertebrae are fused so that it stays corrected | Adolescents and adults with larger curves |
| Growth-friendly systems | Rods or devices that guide the spine and can be lengthened as a child grows | Young children with early-onset curves |
| Vertebral body tethering | A cord on the side of the curve guides growth without fusion | Selected growing patients with moderate curves |
| Osteotomy and fusion in adults | Corrects fixed curves and imbalance, sometimes with decompression of nerves | Adults with pain, imbalance or nerve symptoms |
The most common operation is posterior spinal fusion. For a related device used in selected curves, see APIFIX system implantation. The choice depends on your age, skeleton and curve; not every hospital offers every technique.
How much does scoliosis surgery cost in Turkey?
At the hospitals on this page operative treatment of scoliosis starts at €16,080. The final figure depends on the number of vertebrae fused, the implants used, the operating time, the days in intensive care and in hospital, and nerve monitoring during surgery. Approximate totals elsewhere are shown below; confirm every price in writing.
| Country | Typical price (approximate) |
|---|---|
| Turkey | from €16,080 |
| United Kingdom | about £30,000–£60,000 privately; NHS care is free for eligible residents but waits can be long |
| United States | often over $100,000 billed by hospital, surgeon and anaesthesia |
| Germany | about €25,000–€50,000 |
Ask whether the price includes implants, neuromonitoring, blood products, intensive-care nights, physiotherapy and the follow-up, and what happens if a complication needs further treatment.
The operation and the hospital stay
Scoliosis fusion is done under general anaesthesia and takes several hours, depending on how many levels are treated. The surgeon exposes the spine from behind, places screws in the vertebrae, corrects the curve with rods and adds bone graft so the vertebrae fuse. Electrical monitoring of the spinal cord during surgery is standard practice in good centres. Many patients spend a night or two in intensive care or a high-dependency unit and a total of about five to eight days in hospital. Plan to stay in the city for about two weeks, so that wounds, pain control and walking are checked before the flight.
Recovery after scoliosis surgery
- Days 1–3: pain control, first standing and short walks with a physiotherapist.
- Weeks 2–6: walking, wound healing and a gradual return to daily activities; most teenagers return to school after about four to six weeks.
- Months 3–6: more activity as the fusion matures; contact sport and heavy lifting are not allowed.
- 6–12 months: the surgeon usually releases sports in stages, once the X-rays show the fusion is healing.
Adults often need longer to recover than teenagers. Book a surgeon or spine clinic at home for X-ray follow-up before you travel.
Flying home after scoliosis surgery
Most surgeons allow flying only after a minimum of about two weeks, once the wounds are healed, walking is stable and pain is controlled. Ask about clot prevention, seat choice and carrying a letter that lists the implants. Read flying after surgery for general advice.
Risks of scoliosis surgery
This is a major operation, and the risks should be discussed in detail with the surgeon. They include bleeding that may need a transfusion, wound infection, nerve or spinal cord injury (rare but serious), a fusion that does not heal, implant problems, persisting pain and later changes in the spine above or below the fusion. Ask the surgeon how many scoliosis operations the hospital performs each year and about the team's own complication figures. These are better guides than a general average.
Planning the trip and what to bring
Scoliosis surgery needs more planning than most trips. Plan a stay of about two to three weeks in Turkey: tests and consultation before the operation, about five to eight days in hospital, and several days in the city to be seen again before flying. Bring standing full-spine X-rays, any MRI, previous reports, a list of medicines and your growth history for a child. A parent or partner should travel with you, because you will need help with luggage, dressing and moving in the first weeks. Arrange a spine surgeon or orthopaedic clinic at home who will agree to X-ray follow-up, because the fusion is checked at intervals for a year or more.
Tell the team about asthma or breathing problems, heart conditions, bleeding disorders, previous spine surgery and any medicine you take. The anaesthetic team uses this to plan blood management and monitoring.
Expect the operation to straighten the curve partly, not completely, and to stop it from progressing. The aim is a balanced trunk, less pain and a curve that stays stable for life. A fused spine bends less than before in the treated section, but most patients return to normal daily life, and many return to sport once the surgeon agrees. Ask the surgeon how much correction is expected for your curve and how many levels will be fused, because the number of fused levels decides how much movement is lost.
Keep your operation report, the implant card, the discharge letter and the post-operative X-rays. Any doctor who treats your spine in future needs them, and an implant card is useful for scans and at airport security. Book the first follow-up X-ray with your surgeon at home before you leave Turkey.
Questions to ask before you pay
- Is surgery advised for this curve now, and what happens if I wait or use a brace?
- Which operation is planned, how many vertebrae will be fused and which implants are used?
- Is spinal cord monitoring used during the operation, and who is on the team?
- How many scoliosis operations does this hospital and this surgeon perform each year?
- What is included if I have a complication, and who looks after me if I need to stay longer?
Written answers before payment let your doctor at home review the plan with you. Do not decide on price alone for an operation of this size.
Choosing a hospital and spine surgeon
Look for a spine surgeon who operates on scoliosis regularly, an accredited hospital with intensive care, spinal cord monitoring and a paediatric or adult anaesthesia team, and a plan for follow-up at home. Partner hospitals on our site include Academic Hospital and Lokman Hekim Istanbul Hospital. For bone and limb corrections see deformity correction; the process is explained on how it works.
Conditions treated with Operative Treatment of Scoliosis
Hospitals with Orthopedics in Turkey
Frequently asked questions
It starts at about €16,083 at partner hospitals and depends on the number of levels fused, the implants and the days in hospital. Private surgery in the UK commonly costs about £30,000–£60,000.
Often when the Cobb angle is above about 45–50 degrees, when a curve keeps progressing, or when an adult has pain or imbalance that other treatment has not helped. Your surgeon decides after reviewing your X-rays.
A procedure in which screws and rods straighten the curve and bone graft fuses the vertebrae so that the correction is kept.
Usually about five to eight days, including a night or two in intensive care or a high-dependency unit, followed by about a week in the city before flying.
Most teenagers return to school after about four to six weeks, but heavy activity and sport are restricted for months while the fusion heals. Adults often take longer.
Most surgeons advise waiting at least about two weeks until the wounds have healed and you walk steadily. Ask about clot prevention.
Bleeding, infection, nerve injury, a fusion that does not heal, implant problems and persisting pain. Spinal cord injury is rare but serious. Ask the surgeon for the team's own figures.
Often. Mild curves are watched, and curves in growing children can be braced and treated with exercise. Surgery is for larger or progressing curves.
Standing full-spine X-rays, any MRI, previous reports, your age and a note of symptoms. A spine surgeon can then say whether surgery is advised.
Safety depends on the surgeon, the hospital's intensive care and monitoring and the follow-up plan. It is not a trip to take lightly; discuss the plan with your doctor at home.
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