Planning FTM Top Surgery in Turkey: Packages, Travel and Aftercare
A practical guide for international patients researching FTM top surgery in Istanbul. Understand the questions to ask about your assessment, the proposed package and the arrangements around your stay before making a booking.
Prepared by Top Surgery Istanbul with founder Neda Deniz.
Published
Start with the questions that matter to you
Researching top surgery abroad often means trying to understand several things at once: who will carry out the operation, which approach may be suitable, what the quoted package covers and how to organise time away from home. Writing down your priorities can help you explain what you are looking for and compare the information you receive.
This guide brings those questions together. It is informed by Neda Deniz’s experience of researching his own surgery and coordinating international enquiries through Top Surgery Istanbul. You can use it while exploring your options or preparing to discuss your situation with the team.
Who handles the medical decisions
Top Surgery Istanbul works with Dr. M. Serkan Dinar. The coordination team helps with enquiries and the practical arrangements around treatment. Clinical suitability, the choice of procedure and recovery instructions belong to the treating clinician.
Ask which surgeon would assess and operate on you, how you can put questions to that surgeon, and which consultation arrangements are available before making travel plans. A conversation with a coordinator helps organise the process; it does not establish that an operation is appropriate for you.
Bring questions about the chest appearance you hope for, scars, nipple position or sensation, and any previous operations. Ask the surgeon to explain the options, limitations and risks that apply to your circumstances. Photos and another person’s experience cannot predict your own result.
What is included in a top surgery package
Top Surgery Istanbul’s package information lists surgery and anaesthesia, a hospital stay, pre-operative checks, translation, an initial compression garment and post-operative review or support. Accommodation is included in some options. Additional garments, prescribed medicines and scar-care products depend on the package agreed for you.
Your written proposal should confirm what is included, what is optional and what you would arrange separately, together with the responsible providers and any exclusions.
A package description is most useful when it explains the purpose of each part. Translation supports communication. Transfers help organise journeys between agreed locations. A garment must be used according to clinical instructions. Follow-up arrangements should identify the responsible team and how to reach them. The clinical team should explain which checks, medicines or products are appropriate for you.
Flights, companion arrangements, additional nights and unplanned treatment should be discussed explicitly. Do not assume that a broad description such as “package” covers every possible expense. Your individual written proposal should set out the agreed scope and any exclusions.
Why accommodation and transfers matter
Neda describes choosing accommodation close to the hospital as one practical decision shaped by his coordination work. When accommodation is included, ask which hotel is proposed, how many nights are covered and how you will get to scheduled appointments. Hospital and hotel nights should be listed separately.
If someone is travelling with you, confirm the room arrangements and any additional charges. If you arrange your own accommodation, discuss its location and transport with the team. The purpose is to make the stay manageable around the agreed clinical schedule.
How long should you plan to stay
A package’s stated number of nights and your own recovery plan are different considerations. Ask the surgeon when you will be reviewed, what needs to happen before you can travel home and what could require a longer stay. Flight bookings and time away from work should allow for individual advice.
Before travelling, discuss the medicines you take, relevant health information and any support you may need during recovery through the team’s agreed clinical information process. Ask for clear instructions about preparation, activity, garments and wound care. Avoid changing medication or following another patient’s recovery instructions without clinical advice.
What happens after you return home
Ask how follow-up contact is organised, who assesses a concern and which appointments or remote reviews are included. You should understand how routine questions are handled and what to do if a concern needs prompt local medical attention.
Clarify whether support after your return is remote or includes any agreed local provider. Ask about the process and possible costs if additional treatment, a return visit or a revision is considered. A message service and a clinical assessment serve different purposes. Keep the relevant contact details and written instructions accessible.
What to confirm before making a payment
Before accepting a proposal, check the surgeon and treatment location, the agreed package, the consultation arrangements and the follow-up process. Ask for the payment schedule, deposit terms, cancellation and refund conditions in writing, including what happens if the clinical plan or your travel dates change.
Take time to raise any questions that remain. A useful next conversation is one that makes your own requirements and the proposed arrangements clearer.
Discuss your own situation
Use the existing Free Consultation enquiry form to tell the team what you would like to discuss. You can also contact the team on WhatsApp. The coordination team can explain the next steps and how clinical questions will be directed to the surgeon.
You do not need to have chosen a surgical technique before making an enquiry. Start with your questions, the outcome you hope to discuss and any practical constraints around your trip.
This guide provides general planning information. Clinical suitability, treatment decisions and recovery advice require an individual assessment by a qualified clinician.
Further reading on planning treatment abroad: NHS guidance on surgery abroad. This is general travel and treatment guidance; the NHS does not endorse Top Surgery Istanbul.