Is Gastric Sleeve Surgery in Turkey Safe?

Gastric sleeve surgery (sleeve gastrectomy) is the most frequently performed obesity operation in the world, and Turkey is now among the main destinations for patients travelling from the United Kingdom, Ireland and other countries. Whether the operation is safe in Turkey cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. The safety of bariatric surgery depends less on the country than on the surgeon, the hospital, the assessment before surgery and the follow-up after it.

How Safe Is Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

Gastric sleeve surgery is one of the safer major abdominal operations when it is performed by an experienced team.

• Mortality: In a registry of more than 93,000 sleeve gastrectomies performed in accredited centres in the United States, the 30-day mortality rate was 0.1%.
• Leak: Leakage along the stapled edge of the stomach, regarded as the gravest early complication, was seen in 0.8% of patients in the same registry.
• Overall Complications: Some form of complication within the first 30 days was seen in 5.8% of patients, most of them minor.

Important Note: These figures come from accredited centres with experienced teams and full hospital facilities. In the same registry, higher BMI, older age and poor nutritional status (low albumin) were the strongest predictors of complications, which is why individual risk is assessed before surgery.

What Do UK Doctors See After Surgery Abroad?

Warnings from UK doctors about surgery abroad are often in the news. The data behind them are worth knowing:

• Emergency Admissions: In a UK national audit of patients who needed urgent treatment for complications of bariatric surgery, about one in three (34.8%) had had their operation abroad.
• Gaps in Care: A systematic review of patients' and clinicians' experiences identified practice outside international guidelines, particularly in preparation before surgery and follow-up afterwards.

These reports do not include the total number of patients operated on, so they cannot show how often complications occur. They do show that complications after surgery abroad are usually managed back home, and that preparation and aftercare are where most problems arise.

What Determines Safety?

1. The Surgeon

Bariatric surgery should be performed by a general surgeon with specific training in obesity surgery who performs these operations regularly. European recommendations for patients travelling abroad emphasise surgeon accreditation and procedural volume. You should know your surgeon's name and be able to speak with them before you travel.

2. The Hospital

The hospital should have an intensive care unit, round-the-clock surgical cover and the ability to perform endoscopy and imaging at short notice, so that a complication such as a leak or bleeding can be recognised and treated quickly. In Turkey, the Ministry of Health authorises hospitals and intermediary companies that care for international patients; you can ask whether the hospital, and any agency you deal with, holds this authorisation.

3. Assessment Before Surgery

• Medical Assessment: Blood tests, heart and lung assessment, screening for sleep apnoea and evaluation of the liver.
• Upper Endoscopy: To assess reflux and hiatal hernia, which influence the choice of operation.
• Dietetic and Psychological Assessment: Eating habits, eating disorders and readiness for lifelong changes are reviewed.
• Medicines: Blood thinners, diabetes medicines and weight-loss injections must be declared, as some need to be adjusted or paused before surgery.

Important Note: Surgery offered on the day of arrival without any of these assessments is a warning sign, not a convenience.

4. The Operation and Hospital Stay

The operation is performed laparoscopically through small incisions. Measures against blood clots and walking soon after surgery are standard. Patients usually stay in hospital for a few days, during which they are monitored for early complications.

5. Follow-Up and Aftercare

Some complications appear after discharge, and long-term issues such as reflux, weight regain and vitamin deficiencies develop months or years later. A written summary of the operation, a supplement and blood test plan, and a clear way to contact the surgical team after you return home are part of safe care.

Red Flags When Choosing a Clinic

• You are not told who will operate on you, or you cannot speak to the surgeon before travelling.
• Surgery is offered without asking about your health, BMI or previous attempts to lose weight.
• You are pressured to book quickly with time-limited offers.
• The information focuses on hotels and transfers rather than medical assessment and follow-up.
• No written aftercare plan is provided and there is no contact after discharge.
• Results are promised or guaranteed.

Questions to Ask Before Booking

1. Who will perform my operation, and can I speak with them before I travel?
2. Which tests will be done before surgery, and who decides whether I am suitable?
3. Does the hospital have an intensive care unit and the facilities to treat complications such as a leak?
4. How many nights will I spend in hospital, and when will I be fit to fly home?
5. What written information will I receive to give to my GP?
6. How do I contact the team after I return home, and for how long will I be followed up?

For details on eligibility, see Who Is Eligible for Gastric Sleeve Surgery?, and for long-term issues, Gastric Sleeve Regret: Why It Happens. An overview of the operations is available on our obesity surgery page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the mortality rate for gastric sleeve surgery?

In large registries of accredited centres, the 30-day mortality rate after gastric sleeve surgery is about 0.1%. Individual risk depends on BMI, age, general health and the experience of the surgical team.

How risky is gastric sleeve surgery?

Serious complications are uncommon; leakage along the stapled edge of the stomach occurs in under 1% of patients in large registries. Bleeding, blood clots and, in the long term, reflux and vitamin deficiencies are the other main risks.

What happens 10 years after a gastric sleeve?

In a randomised trial with 10-year follow-up, the gastric sleeve produced lasting weight loss, with median excess weight loss of 43.5%. Reflux and inflammation of the oesophagus were more common than after gastric bypass, which is why long-term follow-up, including endoscopy, is recommended.

Will the NHS treat complications if I have surgery abroad?

NHS emergency services treat urgent complications. Routine bariatric follow-up for operations performed privately abroad varies, so long-term follow-up should be agreed before you travel and your GP should be informed.

Do I need special travel insurance?

Standard travel insurance usually does not cover travel for planned medical treatment. Check whether a specialist policy that covers complications of surgery abroad is available before you book.

Important Warnings

1. Do not choose a clinic on cost or speed alone.
2. Do not fly home before the surgical team has confirmed you are fit to travel.
3. Take your operation summary and medicine list home and share them with your GP.
4. Seek urgent medical care for fever, increasing abdominal pain, a fast heart rate, breathlessness or persistent vomiting after surgery.
5. Do not stop your vitamin and mineral supplements.

Conclusion

Gastric sleeve surgery has a low risk of serious complications when it is performed by an experienced bariatric surgeon in a fully equipped hospital, after a proper assessment and with a structured follow-up plan. The problems reported after surgery abroad mostly arise from skipped assessments and missing aftercare rather than from the operation itself. Before deciding, patients should know their surgeon, understand the assessment and the hospital stay, and have a written aftercare plan agreed for their return home.

References

• Kumar SB, Hamilton BC, Wood SG, et al. Is laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy safer than laparoscopic gastric bypass? A comparison of 30-day complications using the MBSAQIP data registry. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, 2018.
• Tase A, Iqbal FM, Askari A, et al. Unplanned interventions following bariatric surgery: first cohort outcomes from the National Emergency Bariatric Surgery Audit (NEBSA). International Journal of Surgery, 2026.
• Carey C, James S, Jaunoo S. A systematic review of patient and clinician experiences of bariatric tourism. Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2026.
• Dobbie LJ, Birney S, Breen C, et al. European recommendations from healthcare professionals and people living with obesity on safe practice for bariatric and metabolic surgery medical tourism: a modified Delphi consensus statement from EASO, IFSO-EC, and ECPO. International Journal of Surgery, 2025.
• Salminen P, Grönroos S, Helmiö M, et al. Effect of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy vs Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass on Weight Loss, Comorbidities, and Reflux at 10 Years in Adult Patients With Obesity: The SLEEVEPASS Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Surgery, 2022.
• Eisenberg D, Shikora SA, Aarts E, et al. 2022 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO): Indications for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, 2022.