Orthopaedic Surgery in Turkey: Joint, Spine, Sports and Hand Surgery in Istanbul

Orthopaedic treatment in Istanbul: how it works

Orthopaedic surgery covers the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and spine. Before anything is booked, an orthopaedic surgeon reviews your X-rays or MRI, your symptoms and the treatments you have already tried, and tells you whether surgery is the right next step or whether physiotherapy and other options should come first. New City Clinic is a health-tourism organisation authorised by the Turkish Ministry of Health and registered with HealthTürkiye. We arrange your treatment at licensed partner hospitals, where their specialist doctors treat you; New City Clinic does not operate itself. You receive a written plan with the procedure, the hospital, the expected stay and the price before you travel.

Hip, knee and shoulder replacement

Hip replacement replaces a hip damaged by osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis, inflammatory arthritis or certain fractures with an artificial joint; most patients start walking with a frame and a physiotherapist the day after surgery. Knee replacement resurfaces the worn parts of the knee, as a total replacement or, when only one compartment is worn, a partial replacement in selected patients; physiotherapy from the next day is the most important part of the result. Shoulder replacement is used for advanced arthritis, large rotator cuff tears that cannot be repaired and some fractures. An anatomical replacement copies the natural joint, while in a reverse replacement the ball and socket swap places so the deltoid muscle lifts the arm. For all three, the surgeon chooses the implant and approach after imaging and an examination. Hospital stays are usually 3–5 nights for hip and knee and 2–4 nights for the shoulder.

Knee and shoulder arthroscopy and ACL reconstruction

Arthroscopy is keyhole surgery with a thin camera and fine instruments through a few small incisions. In the knee it is used mainly for meniscus tears, which are repaired with stitches where possible or carefully trimmed, and for cartilage damage and loose bodies; it is not recommended on its own for advanced osteoarthritis. In the shoulder it is used for rotator cuff repair, labral repair after repeated dislocation, impingement and frozen shoulder. A torn anterior cruciate ligament does not heal on its own, so a new ligament is created arthroscopically from a graft of your own tendon (hamstring, patellar or quadriceps); a meniscus tear can be treated in the same session. Returning to sport usually takes months of regular physiotherapy.

Spine surgery and fracture surgery

Spine surgery treats problems that press on the nerves, such as a herniated disc in the lower back or neck, spinal stenosis and a slipped vertebra. A lumbar disc herniation is usually treated by microdiscectomy through a small incision; in stenosis the space around the nerves is widened, and an unstable spine can be fixed with screws and rods. Most disc herniations improve with physiotherapy and time, so surgery is considered for pain that persists despite treatment, weakness or bladder and bowel problems. Fracture surgery fixes displaced fractures, fractures involving a joint, and fractures that have not healed or have healed in the wrong position, using plates, screws, nails or an external fixator, so that the joint can move early while the bone heals.

Foot, ankle and hand surgery

Bunion (hallux valgus) surgery does not simply shave the bump: the bone leading to the big toe is cut in a controlled way, moved into position and fixed with small screws, with a minimally invasive technique in suitable patients. Ankle surgery includes Achilles tendon repair, ligament reconstruction for repeated sprains and ankle arthroscopy. Diabetic foot treatment combines wound care, pressure relief, blood sugar control and, where needed, surgery, planned together with other specialists. Hand surgery covers carpal tunnel release, trigger finger, Dupuytren’s disease, ganglion cysts and tendon repairs. Carpal tunnel release usually takes 20–30 minutes under local anaesthesia, and most hand procedures are day cases.

Limb lengthening

In limb lengthening the thigh or shin bone is cut in a controlled way and lengthened by about 1 millimetre a day with a lengthening nail inside the bone or an external fixator, and new bone then takes months to harden. It may be done for a leg-length difference or for cosmetic height increase. It is a major treatment that strains muscles, nerves and joints, needs daily physiotherapy and long follow-up, and usually means a stay of about two to three months in Istanbul. The surgeon decides on suitability and a realistic target after a thorough examination and imaging.

Who is a candidate?

Orthopaedic surgery is planned for people in good general health with realistic expectations who are found suitable at examination. Joint replacement is considered when pain limits walking, sleep and daily life and physiotherapy, weight control and injections no longer help enough. Your recent X-rays, MRI or CT scans, a list of medicines (especially blood thinners) and any other conditions such as diabetes or heart disease let the surgeon give a first opinion; the final decision is made at your examination in Istanbul.

How the trip works, days in Istanbul and flying home

After your plan is agreed you arrive in Istanbul, are met at the airport, have your examination and tests, and then surgery. Typical stays are: hip replacement 10–14 days, knee replacement 12–14 days, shoulder replacement 10–14 days, ACL reconstruction, bunion, ankle and spine surgery 7–10 days, fracture surgery 7–14 days, shoulder arthroscopy 5–7 days, knee arthroscopy 4–6 days, hand surgery 3–5 days, carpal tunnel release 2–4 days, and limb lengthening about two to three months. Your surgeon clears you to fly after a wound check. On the flight, choose an aisle seat, walk and move your ankles, and follow your physician’s advice on preventing blood clots. Physiotherapy continues at home, with remote follow-up. Check whether you need a visa or e-visa for Turkey on evisa.gov.tr. Once your treatment is planned, the hospital confirms your appointment in writing.

What the package includes and estimated prices

The package includes surgery at a licensed partner hospital, your hospital stay, hotel accommodation, airport–hotel–hospital transfers, pre-operative tests and coordination where specified, and complication insurance. Flights are not included. Estimated packages: hip replacement around €8,000–€12,000 and knee replacement around €7,000–€9,000. For the other orthopaedic operations the price depends on the procedure, the implant and the length of stay, so it is given in a written quote after the surgeon’s assessment. Complication insurance is included in every surgical package New City Clinic organises. Its scope, limits and exclusions are given to you in writing with your quote and before treatment, so you can ask questions before you sign.

Partner hospitals and how to start

Treatment is planned at partner hospitals licensed by the Turkish Ministry of Health: Acıbadem, Medicana, Medipol, Medical Park and Biruni University Hospital. The hospital is chosen according to where the specialist for your treatment practises and what suits your case; it is named in your written plan before you travel. Send your reports, scans and questions on WhatsApp. A specialist reviews them free of charge, you usually receive a written quote within 24 hours, and a coordinator then organises your dates, hotel and transfers and stays in touch after you are home.

• Hip Replacement
• Knee Replacement
• Limb Lengthening Surgery
• Shoulder Arthroscopy
• Hand Surgery
• ACL Reconstruction
• Bunion Surgery (Hallux Valgus)
• Knee Arthroscopy (Meniscus Surgery)
• Shoulder Replacement
• Fracture Surgery (Orthopaedic Trauma)
• Spine Surgery (Herniated Disc and Stenosis)
• Ankle and Achilles Tendon Surgery
• Diabetic Foot Treatment
• Carpal Tunnel Surgery
• Prices

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