General Surgery Worldwide: Best Hospitals, Doctors, Options, & Cost

General surgery is responsible for diagnosing and treating all diseases requiring surgical interventions. It is usually used as a last resort when other treatments are not possible or are ineffective.

The possibilities of modern surgery can help many patients worldwide who, just a few years ago, had little chance of recovery. Every day, thousands of operations are performed in the best hospitals worldwide related to the digestive tract, mammary gland, head and neck, injuries, etc. Many of them enable the patient to improve the quality of his life and get back on his feet – sometimes literally.

Many unique procedures common to hospitals abroad are often unavailable in patients' home countries. In addition, since world-recognized surgeons show successful statistics, patients choose to travel overseas even if standard interventions are necessary.

Update: Dec 19, 2024

Best surgical hospitals

10.00

University Hospital Charite Berlin

9.90

University Hospital Rechts der Isar Munich

9.90

University Hospital Frankfurt am Main

9.90

Beta Clinic Bonn

9.90

Helios Hospital Berlin-Buch

9.90

Teknon Medical Centre Barcelona

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clinics

How to choose the best surgical hospital?

Compliance with international standards is an excellent advantage for a general surgery clinic abroad. You can entrust your health to such a clinic if it has international accreditations and certificates from specialized communities. It is also necessary to be guided by two essential criteria: the surgeon's experience and the hospital's technical equipment.

It is particularly relevant for laparoscopic facilities that utilize robot-assisted surgery. A high-quality surgical hospital specializing in general surgery is equipped with advanced medical technology, including hybrid operating rooms. Ultrasound, MRI, or CT is practiced directly during surgery, significantly increasing effectiveness.

Choose general surgery clinics where the treatment is complex. Care should be aimed at identifying and eliminating the cause of the disease, as well as speedy rehabilitation. It is advisable to rely on a specialized platform for organizing your medical trip. That helps to explore more about leading surgical centers, get trusted feedback and make an informed decision.

Top surgeons in the world

Excellent

AiroScore

9.70

Prof. Dr. med. Roland Ladurner

Academic Hospital Martha-Maria Munich

general, abdominal, thoracic, endocrine, vascular and minimally invasive surgery

Excellent

AiroScore

9.70

Prof. Dr. med. Stefan Hinterwimmer

ATOS Orthopedic Clinic Munich

knee orthopaedic surgery, orthopaedics and trauma surgery

Excellent

AiroScore

9.90

Prof. Dr. med. Peter Biberthaler

University Hospital Rechts der Isar Munich

general surgery, orthopedic surgery and traumatology

Excellent

AiroScore

9.90

Prof. Dr. med. Hans Hoffmann

University Hospital Rechts der Isar Munich

general and thoracic surgery

Prof. Dr. med. Rudiger von Eisenhart-Rothe

Excellent

AiroScore

9.90

Prof. Dr. med. Rudiger von Eisenhart-Rothe

University Hospital Rechts der Isar Munich

orthopedics surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports traumatology

Excellent

AiroScore

9.90

Prof. Dr. med. Helmut Friess

University Hospital Rechts der Isar Munich

general, abdominal, thoracic, oncosurgery, endocrine surgery, and transplantology

Excellent

AiroScore

9.80

Dr. med. Peter A. Bernius

M1 Private Clinic Munich

orthopaedics and sports medicine, pediatric and neuro orthopaedics

Excellent

AiroScore

9.70

Prof. Dr. med. Peter Habermeyer

ATOS Orthopedic Clinic Munich

shoulder and elbow orthopaedic surgery, sports medicine, trauma surgery

Excellent

AiroScore

9.70

Prof. Dr. med. Hans Gollwitzer

ATOS Orthopedic Clinic Munich

orthopaedics and trauma surgery, sports medicine, chirotherapy and hip orthopaedic surgery

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doctors

Criteria for choosing the world's best surgeon

When searching for the best surgeon in the world for an operation, one must consider his experience and qualifications, specialization, and reputation. The better his reputation, the more likely he is a professional in his field. Check his certificates, licenses, and the number of successful surgeries. The more experience the specialist has, the higher the probability of a positive outcome of the operation.

The top surgeons in the world are focused on minimal intervention. They can advise options beyond traditional surgery, such as laser, endoscopic, and robotic procedures. These alternatives provide the desired results while avoiding long rehabilitation.

Be bold, ask questions, and conduct your research to be sure of your choice. Remember that is the key to successful recovery. Contacting doctors presented in the AiroMedical lists will solve your problem most effectively and delicately without a long wait.

Diagnostics used before your surgery

Before performing any surgery, the patient must be diagnosed. The correct diagnosis is an essential condition for a speedy recovery.

Specifying the exact list of surgical studies is difficult, as it depends on the disease and surgery type. At the same time, a standard set of procedures is most often prescribed before the surgical intervention.

Diagnostic procedures before the operation

Labs tests

The results of general and biochemical blood and urine tests will tell about inflammatory processes in the body, possible contraindications to surgery, blood group and its coagulability, help to minimize anesthesia risks, and prevent complications.

Magnetic resonance imaging

A method of instrumental diagnostics that determines the exact location of organs and tissues, including the painful focus to be operated on.

Computed tomography

A unique method based on the use of X-ray. During the procedure, the computer, directing the X-ray beam, shines through the human body layer by layer. Many images are obtained at the output, which the device puts together into a single 3D picture. It is essential before an emergency operation. Surgeons use CT scans to identify tumors and detect injuries, vascular aneurysms, abscesses, and brain and spinal cord diseases.

Ultrasound

In surgical practice, it determines the presence or absence of free fluid in the abdomen, damage, and displacement of the organs. The method also effectively examines soft tissues (skin, subcutaneous fat, lymph nodes, and muscles). The harmlessness of the procedure allows surgeons to observe the disease in dynamics, prescribing the necessary number of times as needed.

Biopsy

It is a sampling of a small amount of tissue for histopathological examination. It is performed with endoscopic instruments or thin needles if cancer is suspected.

Other studies are conducted at the discretion of the doctor's team. For example, gastroscopy is indicated before some operations on the abdominal cavity. Some surgical procedures are contraindicated in severe cardiac disorders. And in such cases, electrocardiography will be included in the examination list.

Top offers

Lutetium-177 PSMA therapy for prostate cancer + Ga-68 PSMA PET scan | 1 cycle - standard package | Helios Clinic Berlin-Buch, Germany

€22,117

Liver cancer treatment with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) | 2 sessions | Uniclinic Frankfurt, Germany

€19,684

Lutetium-177 PSMA therapy for prostate cancer + Ga-68 PSMA PET scan | 1 cycle - VIP package | Helios Clinic Berlin-Buch, Germany

€25,063

Lutetium-177 PSMA therapy for prostate cancer | 1 cycle - basic package | Helios Clinic Berlin-Buch, Germany

€18,540

PET CT scan | Helios Clinic Berlin-Buch, Germany

€4,852

Ga-68 PSMA PET CT scan | Helios Clinic Berlin-Buch, Germany

€5,215

Comprehensive Examination for Male - Basic Check-Up Package at Centro Médico Teknon

€2,500

Comprehensive Basic Examination + Gastroscopy with sedation | Check-Up Package at Centro Médico Teknon

€2,970

Comprehensive Examination for Female - Basic Check-Up Package at Centro Médico Teknon

€2,500

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deals

Advanced surgical treatment solutions

Surgery is one of the fastest-growing branches of medicine. The last 30 years have been marked by a real boom in developing organ-preserving, minimally invasive, and robotic techniques. As a result, general surgeons abroad are constantly improving their treatment methods. Innovative approaches are practiced in hospitals in Europe, the USA, and Israel.

Latest surgical procedures

Laser surgery

A wide range of operations is performed with the help of laser installations. Laser technologies have proven themselves well in the treatment of prostate cancer. Laser ablation of prostate cancer is performed under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) control and lasts only 2 minutes. In addition, laser surgery technologies are widely used in ophthalmology, dermatology, and gynecology.

Robot-assisted surgery

Robots are used in gynecology, urology, thoracic, and ENT surgery. The indisputable advantage of the DaVinci robot surgeon and the Aesop automated "hand" is the maximum accuracy of the procedures performed, minimal blood loss, and the absence of a human factor (the robot surgeon does not have a tremor, he can "approach" the operated area from any angle). For the patient, it means that the surgeon interacts only with the affected tissues without touching healthy ones.

Endoscopic surgery

It is carried out without incisions through the natural openings of the patient's body (mouth, anus, vagina). Then, with the help of a thin endoscope with a camera at the end, doctors examine the gastrointestinal tract's condition, perform a biopsy, and remove small tumors, cysts, adenomas, and other suspicious formations.

Laparoscopic surgery

Treatment is carried out through 3-4 small punctures of the abdominal wall. However, increasingly surgical operations on the abdominal cavity are performed using the SILS (Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery) method. For example, through a tiny incision in the navel of the patient, the gallbladder and inflamed appendix are removed. The laparoscopic technique is used in bariatric surgery to treat obesity (banding, gastric bypass).

Radio-guided surgery

A method of surgical intervention in which the patient is injected with radioactive isotopes that produce gamma radiation, such as iodine isotopes. The operation uses a gamma probe, an instrument sensitive to the radiation controlled by ultrasound, MRI, or CT. The technique removes gastrointestinal tract, head and neck tumors, gynecological and urological diseases, thyroid gland, etc. Surgery under radio control reduces the number of postoperative complications and can speed up the return to work.

Surgical solutions for complex cases

Immediate reconstructive and organ-preserving surgery

This method frequently addresses gynecology, urology, oncology, and coloproctology issues. The damaged area is removed while preserving the affected organ. In situations where preservation is impossible, reconstructive surgery may be performed to restore the tissue and its functions. It can be accomplished through tissue relocation or microsurgical transplantation techniques.

New grafting techniques and materials

The materials used for grafting may include the patient's tissues, animal-derived materials like cow or pig xenografts, or even artificial devices such as tubes for facilitating blood flow in hemodialysis. In addition, doctors utilize modern approaches to obtain grafting material so the organs are not damaged, and their tissues are used to restore post-surgical defects.

Liver & pancreas surgeries for previously inoperable patients

When dealing with diseases like pancreatic cancer or liver tumors, surgery is often used to cure the disease. At the same time, many patients are diagnosed at late stages when the operation is impossible. Leading hepatobiliary surgeons can offer the operation even in these complicated cases.

Operations for congenital deformities

The top surgeons worldwide possess vast knowledge in treating various congenital defects such as facial, spinal, fetal, and other pathologies. Depending on the deformity type, the surgeon specializing in that field will operate. For example, plastic surgeons can correct nose and upper lip defects, while pediatric surgeons can correct urogenital anomalies in kids.

Thanks to the listed methods, doctors achieve impressive therapeutic effects with minimal injury to the patient. It, in turn, guarantees a quick and mild postoperative recovery, a shortened period of hospitalization, and the absence of severe cosmetic defects.

Patients who have undergone surgery in top hospitals presented in the AiroMedical list note the ease of rehabilitation, the lack of cosmetic flaws on the skin, and the tangible effect of the procedures.

Cost for general surgery

General surgery€915 - 340,738

Surgical examination€915 - 2,398 HIPEC surgery€28,308 - 69,840 PIPAC surgery€32,554 - 80,316

Advantages of medical tourism

Medical tourism has become a real boom of the 21st century. More than 20 million patients worldwide annually choose treatment abroad, as they cannot receive the necessary healthcare at home. Hospitals overseas offer innovative methods, such as da Vinci robotic surgeries or the most advanced biopsy methods, which are still unavailable in many countries.

Why consider medical travel for a surgical operation?

General surgery abroad is not only a modern technique but also a systematic approach to treatment. Therefore, regardless of the type of surgery, the patient receives:

High-quality preoperative diagnosis

Obtaining a complete picture of the state of internal organs and the degree of disease development helps to develop the most effective plan for conducting the operation and avoiding possible complications.

Saving time

If a patient suffers from a severe illness, then treatment should not be postponed in any case. With medical travel and AiroMedical, you will plan treatment immediately. You won't have to wait months for an examination or surgery.

Reduction of hospitalization time

In many endoscopic operations, the patient is discharged either on the day of the intervention or 2-3 days after the procedure.

Access to top professionals

The skill of surgeons with many years of experience in performing complex operations. The patient receives the most accessible and detailed consultations about his condition and explanations of the treatment algorithm.

Faster recovery

Accelerated recovery of the body after surgery. To do this, physiotherapists and rehabilitologists are connected to the treatment process immediately after the intervention. In addition, leading surgical hospitals have affiliated rehabilitation centers to accept their patients right after the operation.

Such a comprehensive and balanced approach to surgical treatment overseas contributes to the excellent result of the interventions.

Our task is not just to choose the top surgical hospital or a world-class surgeon for you but to accompany and support you at every step of your path to health — from finding the correct information until you need it. AiroMedical is the stories of thousands of people who entrusted us with their hope for recovery, with whom we experienced their "second birthday" together after the most difficult life-saving operations.