Cardiac Surgery in Turkey: Heart Care at World-Class Centres
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death globally. When cardiac conditions require surgical intervention — from coronary artery bypass grafting to valve replacement and repair — the quality of the surgical team and hospital infrastructure is paramount. Turkey’s internationally accredited cardiac surgery centres deliver outcomes that compete with the best centres in Western Europe, at costs that are substantially lower.
Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG)
CABG remains one of the most commonly performed cardiac operations globally. When coronary arteries are significantly blocked, bypass surgery creates new routes for blood flow to the heart muscle using vessels harvested from elsewhere in the body — typically the internal mammary artery and saphenous vein. Turkey’s cardiac surgery centres perform high volumes of CABG procedures, and high volume is one of the strongest predictors of good surgical outcomes.
Minimally invasive approaches — including off-pump beating-heart surgery (avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass) and robotic-assisted procedures — are available at leading Turkish cardiac centres.
Heart Valve Surgery
Valve disease — most commonly affecting the aortic or mitral valve — may require repair or replacement. Valve repair, which preserves the patient’s own tissue, is preferred where feasible and produces better long-term outcomes. When replacement is required, mechanical valves (requiring lifelong anticoagulation) or biological tissue valves (with a limited lifespan of fifteen to twenty years) are available. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) — a minimally invasive valve replacement performed through a catheter without open surgery — is available at Turkey’s leading cardiac centres for appropriate patients.
Aortic Surgery
Aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections require specialised vascular or cardiac surgical expertise. Turkey’s major cardiac surgery centres have dedicated aortic teams experienced in both open surgical repair and endovascular approaches (EVAR, TEVAR) for aortic disease.
Electrophysiology and Arrhythmia
For patients with arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation, Turkey’s leading cardiology centres offer catheter ablation, device implantation (pacemakers, ICDs, CRT devices) and the full range of modern electrophysiology services.
Costs and Accreditation
Cardiac surgery at private hospitals in Western Europe typically costs €20,000 to €50,000 depending on complexity. In Turkey at JCI-accredited cardiac surgery centres, equivalent procedures cost €10,000 to €25,000 all-inclusive. For patients requiring surgery who face excessive waiting times in public healthcare systems, Turkey’s private cardiac centres offer timely access to expert care. Contact Dr.Visor at drvisor.com.