Thoracic surgery in Turkey is considered one of the advanced medical services available with high quality. Hospitals in Turkey are distinguished by qualified medical teams with the latest technologies and complex operations that require high experience, which attracts patients from different parts of the world to receive treatment there.

The most common thoracic diseases treated in Turkey

There are a number of chest diseases that are treated in medical centers specialized in thoracic surgery in Turkey including the following:

Hiatal hernia

A hiatal hernia is an opening in the diaphragm, the primary respiratory muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen.

The condition is often congenital but may also develop in children and adults.

Symptoms usually appear when abdominal organs such as the stomach or liver push toward the chest through this The slot.

Surgery is the primary effective approach to treating hiatal hernia, in congenital cases, this surgery should be performed soon after birth to prevent lung deformities and avoid complications that may threaten the patient’s life.

Esophageal achalasia

Esophageal achalasia is a disorder that causes a loss or weakness in the rhythmic contractions of the esophagus as a result of a defect in the nerves controlling them, the lower esophageal sphincter does not relax normally, causing a number of symptoms such as difficulty swallowing solid foods and liquids, chest pain, and mild to moderate weight loss.

Treatment aims to relieve symptoms by dilating the lower esophageal muscle with a balloon or by cutting the muscle fibers in the sphincter.

Esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer refers to a malignant tumor that spreads in the tissues of the esophagus.

There are two basic types:

• Squamous cell carcinoma: It spreads in the cells lining the upper part of the esophagus
• Adenocarcinoma: It spreads in the lower part, especially the esophageal-gastric junction

Early esophageal cancer usually causes no initial symptoms, but as the tumor grows it may cause difficulty swallowing, severe weight loss, hoarseness, vomiting, and hemoptysis.

Surgery is the most common treatment for esophageal cancer, in addition to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the doctor determines the appropriate treatment depending on the stage of the tumor.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is an uncontrolled proliferation of cells that causes the formation of tumors or small masses in the airways or alveoli, causing chest pain accompanied by coughing, hemoptysis, and difficulty breathing.

There are two basic types of lung cancer:

• Small cell lung cancer
• Non-small cell lung cancer

Each type is treated differently, as treatments vary between surgical, chemotherapy, and radiation.

Lung cancer is more common among older people and smokers, it may initially form in the lungs first, or it may spread from elsewhere in the body (secondary or metastatic cancer).

Chest wall cancers

There is a wide range of cancerous chest wall tumors, these tumors are cancers that have spread from distant organs or directly from a nearby organ such as the breast, lung, or from the chest wall (primary).

Sarcoma is the most common type of chest wall cancer, and includes the following:

• Chondrosarcoma
• Osteosarcoma
• Ewing’s sarcoma
• Fibrosarcoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma

Treatment for malignant chest tumors includes chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or a combination of the three, part of the rib cage must be removed repeatedly to eliminate the chest wall tumor.

Congenital lung malformations

Congenital lung malformations occur before birth and are often diagnosed through ultrasound, but they can also be detected in adults.

There are four main types of congenital lung disorders:

• Bronchial cysts
• Congenital acne cystic anomalies
• Lobe swelling
• Lung entrapment

Treatment of congenital lung diseases is surgical in most cases, cysts may require surgical aspiration or removal of the mass completely, while in emphysema an almost complete lobectomy is performed.

Tracheal stenosis

It refers to an abnormal narrowing of the airways that limits the patient’s ability to breathe, with symptoms such as stridor and bluish skin, with recurrent bouts of pneumonia.

There are two basic types of tracheal stenosis:

• Acquired tracheal stenosis: It is a reaction to repeated irritation of the breathing tube or a reaction to injury from external factors.
• Congenital tracheal stenosis: This is a rare condition

Tracheal stenosis treatment depends on the nature and severity of the condition, observation can be sufficient, and when the disease develops, we resort to other options such as: balloon dilatation, tracheostomy, or strip tracheoplasty.

Hyperhidrosis and sweaty hands

Hyperhidrosis is a common condition that does not cause a threat to the patient, but it has a negative impact on his quality of life, it may affect the entire body or specific areas of it.

Common areas include the following:

• Palm
• Sole
• Face and chest
• Thigh

Lifestyle changes such as wearing loose clothing, avoiding triggers, or using strong anti-seizure drugs can help well, along with the importance of resolving the causative problem, if any, such as:

• Hyperthyroidism
• Low blood sugar
• Pregnancy and menopause

If this fails, ion therapy, botulinum injections, or surgery can be used in some cases.

Rigid and flexible respiratory tract endoscopes, diagnostic and therapeutic

There are two types of bronchoscopes that are used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes:

Flexible bronchoscopes

Diagnostically, flexible endoscopes allow:

• Imaging the airway directly up to the bronchus
• Taking samples of respiratory secretions
• Taking biopsies of the bronchial, parenchymal and mediastinal structures

Its therapeutic uses include:

• Suction of urinary secretions
• Removal of foreign objects
• Use of balloon dilation to relieve stenosis
• Installing a tube or stent into the windpipe

Rigid bronchoscopes

Rigid bronchoscopy is used only when a wider opening and channels are needed to improve visualization, such as in cases of:

• Screening for severe pulmonary hemorrhage
• Viewing or removing inhaled foreign bodies in young children
• Offer obstructive endobronchial lesions for possible laser reduction or stent placement

The most important thoracic operations available in Turkey

Minimally invasive chest surgery

Minimally invasive thoracic surgery is a method of performing surgery through small incisions in the body that does not require the ribs to be moved apart.

Surgeons use a tiny camera and tools to access the specific organ through two different minimally invasive chest surgery options:

• Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)
• Robot-assisted surgery

This method has the advantage of providing a shorter recovery time for the patient, with fewer complications and smaller scars.

pectus excavatum

The surgeon can correct pectus excavatum through two types of operations:

The Nuss surgery

It is a minimally invasive procedure in which the surgeon makes two incisions, inserts a camera to guide the procedure, and then inserts custom curved steel rods under the sternum to lift it outward.

The Ravitch surgery

It is a traditional surgery in which the surgeon makes an incision in the front of the chest to remove the connective tissue that pushes the sternum back and then pulls it out and using a small plate or metal screws the bone is fixed in its new place.

Pectus carinatum

Pectus carinatum is treated using the Mohs and Ravitch procedure with a variation of moving the sternum back to eliminate the hunched appearance.

GERD treatment operations

Stomach acidity is a very common problem that the patient may suffer from for long periods. Surgery is the most appropriate treatment if conservative treatments fail.

Nissen surgery

The Nissen procedure to correct stomach acidity or gastroesophageal reflux aims to tighten and strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter by folding the fundus of the stomach around the lower part of the esophagus.

Doctors can adopt one of two methods:

• Conventional surgery
• Laparoscopic surgery, which is the most common

This type of surgery has a very good long-term success rate, reaching 90% within five years after surgery.

Breast lumpectomy surgery

Most women with breast cancer undergo surgery as part of their treatment.

There are two basic types of surgery to remove the breast tumor:

• Breast-conserving surgery: This is surgery to remove the tumor as well as part of the normal tissue surrounding it. The amount of breast that is removed depends on the location and size of the tumor.
• Mastectomy: This is an operation in which the entire breast and sometimes other adjacent tissues such as the armpit and the pectoralis major muscle are removed. Some women may also undergo the removal of both breasts in a double mastectomy.

Pulmonary tumor resection surgery

Surgery is an effective surgical option for non-small cell lung cancer, especially in its early stages, but lung cancer surgery is considered a complex operation that requires a surgeon with great experience.

In general, the surgeon removes the affected part or all of the lung, depending on the size of the tumor and the extent of its spread.

Surgical options include the following:

• Lobectomy: Only the lobe in which the tumor is located is removed.
• Wedge resection: In which the surgeon removes part of the lobe if complete removal of the lobe prevents the lung from working well.
• Pneumonectomy: If the tumor is large or located near the middle of the chest, the surgeon removes the cancerous lung.
• Sleeve resection: This involves the surgeon removing the cancerous lobe and part of a large airway called the trachea.

Chest correction and beautification procedures

There are different types of breast surgeries that women and men undergo for cosmetic and health reasons that improve the quality of life of patients, including:

• Breast reduction: It is often performed by women who suffer from neck and back pain due to the weight of their breasts. During this procedure, excess skin, fat, and breast tissue are removed.
• Breast augmentation: Usually performed to improve appearance or correct asymmetry, implants are used that are placed under or above the chest muscle.
• Breast reconstruction: Most common in women undergoing breast cancer surgery, the breast is recreated in the desired shape and size.
• Breast lift: It is performed in case of sagging breasts and to lift them, excess skin is removed through several surgical techniques.

Treatment of thoracic tumors with radiation and chemotherapy

Both breast cancer and small-cell lung cancer require sessions of radiotherapy and chemotherapy to complete the treatment plan after surgery if the tumor has spread to other parts of the body or extends to the axillary nodes or if the tumor is not amenable to surgery as a palliative measure for the patient.

The number of treatment sessions and doses depends on the type of tumor, its stage, and the patient’s condition. The oncologist determines a plan specific to each patient individually.

Postoperative care and periodic follow-up

After completing any type of thoracic surgery in Turkey, patients often have regular follow-up appointments with their surgical specialist or care team to evaluate the effectiveness of the surgery and monitor any potential complications.

During the sessions, a physical examination of the patient is performed along with blood tests or radiographic tests to evaluate the body’s response.

Care after thoracic surgery in Turkey also includes monitoring any persistent symptoms or side effects that the patient may experience.

The best hospitals specialized in thoracic surgery in Turkey

There are a number of hospitals in Turkey that have the latest equipment for thoracic surgery, including:

• Ahi Ifran Hospital
• Omraniya Hospital
• Memorial Sisli Hospital
• Memorial Hospital (Bahceli Evlar)

The most famous thoracic surgeons in Turkey

Turkey is distinguished by the presence of a number of doctors who are experts in thoracic surgery:

• Prof. Dr. Levent Gancifer
• Prof.Dr. Altan Ker
• Prof. Dr. Songul Buyukkale
• Prof. Dr. Mustafa Yaman

The approximate financial cost of thoracic surgery in Turkey

Thorcic surgery in Turkey costs range from $3,000 to $5,000, and varies depending on the type of surgery, complexity, and additional treatments required.

Thoracic surgery in Turkey guarantees the patient access to integrated medical care at competitive prices with other countries in the world and an environment that stimulates rapid recovery under the continuous care provided by experts.