Exploratory Video-Assisted Thoracoscopy (VATS)
What's included in this package
Medical Procedures
- Lobectomy
Duration
24/7 Bookimed assistance
- Personal medical coordinator
- Medical travel arrangements — booking of air tickets and hotel rooms at special partner prices
- Patient advocacy during medical travel
Program price
What's NOT included in this package
Doctor
Dr. Cagatay Saim Tezel is a Professor of Thoracic Surgery at Memorial Şişli Hospital since 2025. From 2021 to 2025, he was a Professor at Haliç University Faculty of Medicine and at Liv Hospital Ulus. Earlier, he served at SB Süreyyapaşa Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital as a specialist, associate professor, and educational supervisor.
He earned his MD from Ankara University. He completed his Thoracic Surgery specialization at SB Heybeliada Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Hospital from 2000 to 2005. His international training includes a 6‑month observership at the Royal Brompton Hospital and work in the Leicester University clinics. He also attended the STS 41st Annual Meeting and the Ankara University Esophageal Surgery Program. He was part of the Süreyyapaşa Thoracic Surgery Transplant Team. He was an internship lecturer at Yeditepe University from 2013 to 2020. He served on the editorial board of the Heybeliada Medical Bulletin in 2001.
He is a member of the Turkish Thoracic Surgery Society, the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Turkish Thoracic Society, and the European Respiratory Society. He advised a thesis that won third place in the Istanbul Medical Chamber Thesis Competition.
How are we doing?
About the clinic
Lobectomy (removal of a lung lobe) is performed at Memorial Şişli Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. The procedure may cost around $23,000 for VATS (video-assisted thoracoscopic) surgery. The hospital is JCI-accredited and offers minimally invasive techniques for faster recovery.
About the Procedure
Lobectomy removes a diseased portion of the lung while preserving function. The preferred method is VATS - small incisions with a camera. Patients typically stay 4 days post-surgery. This approach reduces pain and shortens recovery compared to open surgery.
Clinic Advantages
Memorial Şişli holds Turkey's first JCI accreditation with a 4.6 patient rating. It is the country's largest multidisciplinary center. The hospital handles complex oncology cases with a 90% transplant success rate. Patients from 92+ countries choose this facility annually.
Pre-Op Requirements
- PET-CT scan - around $700
- Brain MRI - around $750
- DLCO lung test - around $600
What's Included
- Surgery and anesthesia
- 4-day hospitalization
- Airport transfers both ways
The thoracic surgery team includes Prof. Hasan Fevzi Batirel. VATS lobectomy preserves lung function while treating disease. Contact the hospital for personalized treatment planning.
Payment & Rewards
You don’t pay for our services
You make your payment directly at the clinic or to their official bank account.
Some clinics may require a deposit as a part of their policy.
Spread out your payments with installment options.
Earn rewards for referring friends to Bookimed.
Why people love us
Our top offers for you
FAQ
What is a lung lobectomy?
A lung lobectomy is an operation to remove a lobe of an organ when it is damaged.
In most cases, surgeons perform the procedure for lung cancer.
The difference between lobectomy at home and abroad
Surgeons from foreign medical centers perform lobectomy using the video-assisted thoracoscopic VATS method. They perform manipulations through 2-5 incisions of 2.5 cm each. Recovery after such a procedure is faster than after traditional open surgery.
Features of lung lobe removal in different countries
Bookimed has identified the 3 most popular countries for lobectomy among residents of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan.
In medical centers in Germany, the accuracy of diagnosis is 100%. Thanks to this, German specialists correctly determine the scope of intervention.
In Israel, patients are operated on by experienced and qualified surgeons. They study and train in leading European and American clinics. Thanks to this, Israeli surgeons are improving the methods of performing lobectomy.
The main advantage of a lobectomy in Turkey is its cost. The price for the procedure here is lower than in Israel and Germany.
88% of operations in Turkey pass without complications.
Statistics
How to choose a hospital for lung lobe removal surgery?
When choosing a clinic for a lobectomy, focus on:
- experience and qualifications of an oncologist and thoracic surgeon;
- availability of a system for low-traumatic VATS surgery;
- certificates and accreditations of a medical institution;
- reviews of lung lobectomy in the clinic.
Indications and contraindications for surgical lobectomy
Surgical lobectomy is indicated for patients with:
- lung cancer of the initial stages, which is localized within one lobe;
- severe forms of tuberculosis;
- lung cyst;
- abscess.
Doctors do not perform surgery on people with:
- lung cancer stage 3B-4;
- metastases;
- intolerance to anesthesia;
- germination of the tumor or metastases in the aorta, esophagus, superior vena cava, and the opposite main bronchus;
- severe general condition.
Types of lobectomy
Thoracotomy
The doctor makes an incision 8-20 cm long and removes the lobe of the lung.
Benefits: The procedure provides the surgeon with good visibility.
Disadvantages: the operation leaves a large scar. Recovery takes up to 2 weeks.
Video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy (VATS)
The doctor performs the procedure through 3-5 incisions up to 2.5 cm. Through one incision, he inserts a tube with a camera that controls the course of the procedure. Through the remaining 2 incisions, he performs manipulations with special instruments.
Advantages: the procedure leaves small scars. Recovery is 2-3 times faster than after open surgery.
Disadvantages: VATS provides the surgeon with less visibility than a thoracotomy.
Preparing for the operation
Preparation for a lung lobectomy includes:
- blood analysis;
- chest CT;
- sampling and laboratory examination of tumor tissues;
- positron emission computed tomography (PET-CT).
The course of the procedure
During the operation, the patient is under general anesthesia. Depending on the type of lobectomy, the surgeon performs an incision 8-20 cm long or 3 incisions of 2.5 cm each, and removes a lobe of the lung.
Duration of lobectomy
The intervention takes 2 to 3 hours.
Rehabilitation after removal of part of the lung
The duration of hospitalization after removal of a lung lobe for cancer depends on the technique. After an open operation, a person stays in the clinic for 1-2 weeks, after a low-traumatic operation - 4-5 days.
To restore lung function, the doctor prescribes breathing exercises.
Possible Complications
88% of lobectomy abroad pass without complications. Among the possible violations of the body - breathing problems. Patients restore it with the help of special exercises.
Lobectomy abroad: the nuances
- Will they accompany me to a clinic abroad?
Yes, clinics provide coordinators for foreign patients. They help with translation and paperwork, accompany at all stages of diagnosis and treatment.
Organization of a lobectomy abroad
To perform a lung lobectomy abroad, leave a request on the Bookimed website. A specialized doctor-coordinator will contact you. He will select several medical centers that will meet your wishes in terms of quality and price. Together with the coordinator, you will choose the best of the proposed hospitals.
To book a consultation date, please send us your medical records. The coordinating doctor will send them to the selected clinic and request a diagnostic and treatment program.
We will stay in touch from the moment you contact us until you return home.