Is Knee Replacement Abroad Safe? A Checklist

Key takeaways

Most of the risks of traveling for surgery can be checked before you book.
Check the surgeon, the hospital, the plan, communication, the flight home and follow-up, not only the price.
Accreditation helps, but it doesn’t guarantee a good outcome on its own.
Dr. Kalender reviews your case before you travel and plans your surgery, recovery and flight home together.

The honest answer

Traveling for surgery adds steps that surgery at home doesn’t have: a long flight, a new team, a different language and follow-up from a distance. The CDC lists the main risks as infections, quality of care, communication, blood clots and continuity of care after you return. None of these is a reason to rule out surgery abroad. Each one is a reason to ask the right questions first.

Your checklist

1. The surgeon

What are their qualifications, and how much of their work is knee replacement?
Will they perform your surgery themselves?
Will you talk to them directly before you travel, in a language you understand?

12 questions to ask any knee replacement surgeon →

2. The hospital

Is the hospital licensed and accredited? Ask which accreditations it holds, and remember that accreditation does not guarantee a good outcome.
Does it routinely perform joint replacement, with anesthesia, internal medicine and intensive care available on site?
How does it prevent and manage infection?

3. The plan before you travel

Has the surgeon reviewed your X-rays or MRI and your health before you book?
Will you receive a written treatment plan and a written quote that lists what is included?
Which tests will be done on arrival, and who decides that surgery goes ahead?

4. Communication

Who will you talk to before, during and after surgery, and in which language?
How will instructions for wound care, medication and exercises be given to you?

5. The trip

The CDC recommends a travel health consultation 4 to 6 weeks before you go.
Check travel health insurance, including medical evacuation to the US.
Plan where you will stay after you leave the hospital, and travel with a companion if you can.

6. The flight home

How will your fitness to fly be decided, and by whom?
What will you be given to lower your risk of blood clots on a long flight?

Flying after knee replacement →

7. Follow-up at home

How will the surgeon’s team follow you after you return?
Will you leave with copies of your records, in English, including details of your implant?
Which local doctor will you keep informed, and what does your insurance cover if you need care at home?

Does Medicare cover knee replacement abroad? →

How Dr. Kalender’s plan answers this checklist

Reviewed before you travel. Dr. Kalender reviews your history and imaging himself and talks with you by video, in English. If surgery isn’t right for you, he tells you.
Full assessment on arrival. A health check-up with internal medicine, cardiology, anesthesia and radiology, and a team decision before surgery.
The surgeon you met. Dr. Kalender performs your surgery, usually under spinal anesthesia.
A written plan and quote that show what is included.
Cleared to fly. You fly home only after he has assessed your recovery and your risk of blood clots.
Follow-up from home. His team stays in touch after you return, and we recommend keeping your local doctor informed.

When you travel for surgery, the first days shape how soon you are ready for the flight home. His own pain-free approach is designed to keep pain low from the first hours, get you walking the day after surgery and, for most patients, mean one night in the hospital. He developed it himself over about ten years.

Knee replacement in Turkey: how it works →

Want to see how your plan would look?

Send your X-rays or MRI and put this checklist to Dr. Kalender on a video call. Free, with no obligation.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to have knee replacement in Turkey?

It can be, when the surgeon, the hospital and the plan meet the points on this checklist. Check them for any provider you consider.

What are the main risks of surgery abroad?

The CDC lists infections, variable quality of care, communication problems, blood clots when flying after surgery and gaps in follow-up after you return.

Does hospital accreditation guarantee safety?

No. Accreditation is a useful sign, but the CDC notes that it does not guarantee a good outcome. Ask about the surgeon and the plan, too.

What should I bring home after surgery abroad?

Copies of your medical records, in English, including your operation notes, implant details and discharge instructions.

Sources and notes

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Medical Tourism: Travel to Another Country for Medical Care: risks and recommendations before, during and after travel.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC Yellow Book: Medical Tourism.
This guide is general information and does not replace a personal medical evaluation.

Related guides

Questions to Ask a Knee Replacement Surgeon – 12 questions that work for any surgeon
How to Prepare for Knee Replacement Surgery and Your Trip – a checklist for the weeks before
Does Medicare Cover Knee Replacement? – at home and abroad

Is Knee Replacement Abroad Safe? A Checklist for US Patients

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