Pediatric surgery in Turkey: what you should know
Paediatric surgeons operate on babies, children and teenagers. In Turkey paediatric surgery is a specialty of its own, with paediatric urology as a further subspecialty, and large hospitals have paediatric anaesthetists, a children's ward and neonatal or paediatric intensive care. Families travel for pediatric surgery in Turkey mainly for hypospadias repair, for an undescended testicle, for repeat operations after an earlier repair at home, and — far less often — for spina bifida care.
An operation on a child is planned differently from adult surgery. The timing often depends on the child's age, anaesthesia needs a team used to small children, a parent stays in the hospital with the child, and the trip has to fit around school, siblings and work. The paperwork matters too: both parents' consent, the child's documents and a plan for follow-up at home.
This guide explains what the common operations involve, approximate costs, consent and documents, how to check a hospital and how long to stay. You can send your child's reports and photos through our site for a free review by a paediatric surgeon; you decide only after you have a written plan.
All Paediatrics treatments
Browse every Paediatrics treatment available at our partner hospitals in Turkey, grouped by category.
How much does pediatric surgery cost in Turkey?
None of the hospitals on our site publishes a fixed price for these operations yet, because the cost depends on the child's age, the findings and the planned nights in hospital. The table shows approximate ranges; the Turkish figures are confirmed only in a written quote after a surgeon has reviewed your child's records. Prices in other countries are rough private-sector totals.
| Operation | Turkey (approximate, confirmed in a written quote) | United Kingdom (private) | United States | Germany (private) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hypospadias repair (distal, one stage) | about €3,000–€6,000 | about £5,000–£9,000 | about $10,000–$25,000 | about €4,000–€8,000 |
| Orchidopexy (undescended testicle) | about €2,000–€4,500 | about £3,500–£6,000 | about $7,000–$15,000 | about €2,500–€5,000 |
| Spina bifida surgery | on request | usually NHS-funded | about $30,000 and more | usually insurance-funded |
| Fetal surgery for spina bifida | on request | NHS-funded where eligible | often $50,000 and more | insurance-funded where eligible |
A proximal hypospadias usually needs two stages several months apart, which means two trips and a higher total. A testicle that cannot be felt is usually treated by laparoscopy, sometimes in two steps. Ask for a quote that names the surgeon, the anaesthesia, the nights in hospital and what happens if a second operation is needed.
Operations families travel for
- Hypospadias surgery — the opening of the urethra lies on the underside of the penis instead of the tip, often with a curve. Repair is usually done between about 6 and 18 months of age, under general anaesthesia with a nerve block for pain. A thin catheter or stent often stays in for several days. Repeat operations after a fistula or narrowing are also common reasons to seek a second opinion.
- Undescended testicle surgery (orchidopexy) — guidelines advise bringing the testicle down into the scrotum ideally between 6 and 12 months, and by 18 months at the latest, to protect fertility and allow self-examination later. It is usually a day-case or one-night operation.
- Spina bifida surgery — an open myelomeningocele is closed within the first days after birth, so it is not an operation a family flies in for with a newborn. Families come for later operations, such as a tethered cord release, or plan the birth near a specialised centre.
Heart operations for children are covered in our heart surgery guide; for pediatric cardiac surgery the hospital needs a dedicated children's cardiac team and intensive care.
Fetal surgery for spina bifida: specialised centres and strict eligibility
Fetal surgery for spina bifida closes the defect before birth, usually between about 19 and 26 weeks of pregnancy. Compared with surgery after birth it can lower the need for a shunt and improve leg function in some children, but it carries risks for the mother and the baby, above all premature birth. It is offered only in a small number of specialised fetal medicine centres, by teams experienced in open or fetoscopic repair.
Eligibility is strict and is decided by the centre after its own scans: usually a single pregnancy, a defect within a certain spinal range with hindbrain herniation, no other major anomaly, normal genetic testing and no high risk of preterm birth. Many families are told the operation is not suitable. The mother usually has to stay near the centre for weeks after surgery and often until the birth by caesarean section. Send the detailed ultrasound or MRI reports early; time is short.
Travelling with your child: consent and documents for both parents
A child cannot consent to surgery; a parent with parental responsibility signs after the surgeon has explained the operation and its risks. Hospitals may ask for both parents' consent. If only one parent travels, ask the hospital in advance which documents it needs — usually a signed and notarised consent from the other parent, sometimes with an apostille or a certified translation. Airlines and border controls may also ask for the absent parent's travel consent.
- The child's passport, and a visa if needed.
- A birth certificate showing both parents' names, or court papers on custody or guardianship.
- The other parent's written consent if they are not travelling, plus a copy of their passport.
- Medical reports, scans, vaccination record, allergies and current medicines, in English if possible.
Plan the trip for a time when your child is well: a cold or fever shortly before the operation often means it has to be postponed. Bring favourite toys, comfortable loose clothes and enough nappies or underwear for a catheter.
Packages: what is and is not included
A typical package includes the surgeon's and paediatric anaesthetist's fees, the operation, the hospital stay with a bed for one parent, tests before surgery, check-ups until you fly, transfers and an interpreter. Often not included: flights, hotel nights for the family, the second parent's costs, extra scans, a longer stay or a second-stage operation. Ask in writing.
Is pediatric surgery in Turkey safe? Regulation and accreditation
Turkish hospitals need a Ministry of Health licence, and hospitals that treat foreign patients need a health tourism authorisation. Many large private hospitals are accredited by Joint Commission International (JCI); you can check a hospital on the JCI website. For children, ask specifically about paediatric anaesthesia, a paediatric or neonatal intensive-care unit in the same building, and nurses trained for children.
How to choose a hospital and a paediatric surgeon
- A paediatric surgeon or paediatric urologist — not an adult surgeon who also operates on children.
- Experience in your child's operation, including repeat surgery if the first repair failed.
- A review before you travel of photos, reports and scans, with a written plan.
- Paediatric anaesthesia and intensive care on site.
Red flags: a firm date and price before anyone has seen your child's records, pressure to decide quickly, promises of a "perfect" result, no clear plan for catheter care, and no contact after you fly home. You can compare the hospitals on our site with their accreditations and reviews.
How long do you need to stay in Turkey?
| Operation | Time in Turkey | Back to nursery or school |
|---|---|---|
| Orchidopexy | 3–5 days | about 1 week |
| Hypospadias repair | 7–14 days (until the catheter is out) | about 2 weeks |
| Tethered cord release or later spina bifida surgery | 10–14 days | several weeks |
| Fetal surgery for spina bifida | usually until the birth, as the centre advises | — |
The surgeon decides when your child can fly. Read our advice on flying after surgery abroad.
Aftercare after flying home
Before you travel, tell your GP or paediatrician at home, and agree who will see your child after the trip. After hypospadias repair, the result is checked over months and years, including how your child passes urine; after orchidopexy, the position of the testicle is checked. Children with spina bifida need lifelong follow-up by a team for the bladder, bowel, spine and shunt. Take home the operation report, discharge summary and medicine list, and ask how the hospital follows up by photos or video. Check whether your insurance covers a complication or a longer stay abroad.
Hospitals with Paediatrics in Turkey
Conditions
Frequently asked questions
It can be, if the hospital is licensed by the Ministry of Health with a health tourism authorisation, ideally JCI-accredited, and has paediatric anaesthesia and intensive care on site, with a paediatric surgeon experienced in your child's operation.
No hospital on our site publishes a fixed price yet. A one-stage distal repair costs roughly €3,000–€6,000 in Turkey; a two-stage repair costs more. The exact price is confirmed in a written quote after the surgeon has seen your child's photos and reports.
Most surgeons repair hypospadias between about 6 and 18 months of age, but older children and repeat operations are treated too.
Guidelines advise orchidopexy ideally between 6 and 12 months of age and by 18 months at the latest. Older children are still operated on as soon as possible.
The hospital may ask for both parents' consent. If one parent travels alone, bring a notarised consent from the other parent, the child's birth certificate and a copy of the other parent's passport, and ask the hospital beforehand whether an apostille or translation is needed.
Yes. Hospitals normally provide a bed for one parent in the child's room throughout the stay.
Only selected pregnancies, decided by the specialised centre after its own scans: usually a single baby, a defect within a certain spinal range, no other major anomaly and no high risk of preterm birth, at about 19 to 26 weeks of pregnancy.
Usually not. An open spina bifida is closed within the first days after birth, so the operation is done where the baby is born. Families plan the birth near a specialised centre or travel later for operations such as tethered cord release.
About 3–5 days after orchidopexy and 7–14 days after hypospadias repair, usually until the catheter is removed. The surgeon decides when your child is fit to fly.
Many do, and hospitals with international departments provide coordinators and interpreters for English, German, Arabic, Russian and other languages.