5 top tips to consider if you are thinking of surgery abroad

If you are thinking of surgery abroad we would advise you to go through the following 5-point checklist with your surgeon and clinic.

1. Check on the experience of the surgeon.

In the UK, surgeons are regulated by the General Medical Council (GMC) and have to have a specialist registration in plastic surgery. This is not always the case abroad and you do need to check your surgeon’s qualifications.

2. Ask how many procedures your surgeon has performed and whether they’ve had any significant complications following them.

All surgeons do have complications following surgery and a good surgeon will aim to keep this to a minimum. They do, however, occur and your surgeon should be open and frank about discussing what could occur and how they will look after you and how they have looked after previous cases in which they have occurred.

3. Check the facilities in which the surgery is going to be performed.

Hospitals do vary and cleanliness standards in some foreign countries are not to the same standard as the United Kingdom.

Ask the following questions:

a) Have they ever had any cases of serious infection?

b) Have they had any cases of MRSA or other antibiotic resistant infections?

c) Do they have the latest theatre facilities which include Laminar flow theatres which have the latest air changing systems to reduce the risk of infection?

4. What happens if you do have a concern following surgery?

Ask the surgeons and the hospital who you would contact if you do have a concern following your operation when you are back in the United Kingdom. Ask how promptly you will be able to see your surgeon if you do have a concern and if the surgeon is not in the country. Also, do they have back-up facilities for you to see another surgeon to discuss your concerns?

5. Who will be responsible for covering the cost of further surgery if you need it?

Unfortunately, in some cases even in the United Kingdom some people are unhappy with the outcome of their surgery. In most cases they are relatively minor concerns and can be corrected prior to simply. However, in the United Kingdom most hospital groups and surgeons have a facility in which you will not be charged for any revisional surgery within a year following your operation. This may not apply if you are thinking of having surgery abroad and we’d advise you to check if you will be eligible to incur any more costs.