International patients
Coming to Istanbul for Penile Implant Surgery
Most of the men we treat travel from another country, and the practical questions are as important as the clinical ones: how long am I away, who meets me, who operates, what happens if something is wrong once I am home. This page answers them in order.
- Written by
- Istanbul Penile Implant Centre editorial team
- Medically reviewed by
- Prof. Dr. Bülent AlıcıMD, Professor of Urology and Andrology
- Published
- Last updated
Step by step
The pathway, from first message to follow-up
Nothing is confirmed until you have been assessed remotely and, in Istanbul, examined in person. A date is not a commitment to operate.
Before you travel
- 01
Online enquiry
You send an enquiry through the consultation form or WhatsApp. A patient coordinator replies and explains what information is needed to assess your case.
- 02
Medical history submission
You complete a confidential medical history: your erectile dysfunction and how long you have had it, previous treatments, prostate or pelvic surgery, diabetes, cardiac history, current medication and allergies.
- 03
Medical evaluation
Existing test results, imaging and operation notes are collected and reviewed. If something important is missing, you are told exactly what to obtain from your own doctor.
- 04
Surgeon review
Prof. Dr. Alıcı reviews your file personally. Where useful, a video consultation is arranged so you can ask questions directly before committing to anything.
- 05
Treatment recommendation
You receive a recommendation covering whether an implant is appropriate, which type of device is being considered, what the surgery involves and what it can and cannot achieve.
- 06
Written quotation
An itemised quotation setting out exactly what is included and what is not. No pressure to decide, and no charge for the assessment itself.
- 07
Travel planning
Surgery dates are fixed and your stay is planned around them, including how many nights you need in Istanbul and when it is realistic to fly home. Hotel and transfer arrangements are confirmed at this point.
In Istanbul
- 08
Arrival at Istanbul airport
You are met on arrival and driven directly to your hotel. Your coordinator’s contact details work from the moment you land.
- 09
Hotel
You stay at a hotel chosen for its proximity to the hospital and clinic, so that reviews and any unplanned visit are a short journey rather than a cross-city trip.
- 10
Preoperative consultation
A face-to-face consultation and examination with Prof. Dr. Alıcı, plus blood tests and the anaesthetic assessment. The plan is confirmed or adjusted, and consent is taken here — not remotely.
- 11
Surgery
The operation is performed by Prof. Dr. Alıcı under general or spinal anaesthesia in a fully equipped theatre, typically lasting one to two hours.
- 12
Hospital stay
One night in hospital in a private room, with pain relief, antibiotics and nursing care. Your coordinator remains reachable throughout.
- 13
Postoperative review
After discharge you are reviewed by your surgeon before you leave the country. The wound and swelling are checked and your medication is confirmed.
- 14
Device and recovery education
You are taken through wound care, activity restrictions, the warning signs that need urgent attention, and how the device will be activated later. You leave with this in writing, in English.
After you return
- 15
Return flight
You fly home once your surgeon has confirmed you are fit to travel, with a transfer to the airport and documentation covering the surgery and the device implanted.
- 16
Remote follow-up
Follow-up continues by video and messaging: recovery checks, device activation timing, training on using the device, and a defined route back to the surgical team if anything concerns you.
Logistics
What is arranged for you, and what is not
We would rather be explicit about the second list than have you discover it after arriving.
Arranged for you
- Surgery performed personally by Prof. Dr. Bülent Alıcı.
- Preoperative consultation, blood tests and anaesthetic assessment.
- General anaesthesia, operating theatre and one night of hospital care in a private room.
- Medication, dressings and postoperative reviews before you fly home.
- Airport, hospital and hotel transfers.
- A named English-speaking patient coordinator for the whole process.
- Written aftercare instructions and remote follow-up once you are home.
Your own responsibility
- International flights.
- Travel and medical insurance, which we strongly recommend arranging.
- Additional hotel nights beyond the planned stay.
- Treatment of unrelated medical conditions found during assessment.
- Any further surgery that becomes necessary at a later date, which is quoted separately.
The financial side of the same distinction is itemised on the cost page.
Why Istanbul
Why patients travel here for this operation
These are practical reasons rather than claims about outcomes. Surgical results depend on the surgeon and on your own case, not on the city.
A surgeon who does this operation regularly
Penile implant surgery is a specialist procedure. Istanbul concentrates high-volume andrological practice in a way that few cities do, and the operating surgeon here is a professor of urology and andrology.
Direct access to the surgeon
Your assessment, your surgery and your reviews are carried out by the same surgeon rather than passed between a sales team and a rotating surgical roster.
Both major implant brands available
Coloplast and Boston Scientific devices are both available, so the device can be chosen on clinical grounds rather than on what happens to be stocked.
Cost without cutting the clinical corners
The cost of implant surgery in Turkey is substantially lower than in the United States or the United Kingdom, largely because of local operating and staffing costs rather than differences in device or theatre standards.
Short, well-connected travel
Istanbul is served by direct flights from most major cities in the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe, and the clinic, hospital and hotels sit close together.
A process built for people who do not live here
Remote assessment first, a defined number of nights in Istanbul, English-language documentation and structured follow-up after you fly home.
Privacy
Treatment is arranged discreetly. Nothing is shared with anyone outside the clinical team without your consent, and no patient is identified on this website.
A realistic conversation
You are told what an implant cannot do as clearly as what it can. If an implant is not the right treatment for you, you will be told that.
Communication
Language, consent and records
You should never sign a consent form you have not fully understood.
Consultations with Prof. Dr. Alıcı are conducted in English or Turkish. For other languages an interpreter is arranged for the consultation, the consent discussion and the discharge briefing. Where an interpreter is used, the consent conversation is repeated until you are satisfied you have understood the procedure, the alternatives and the risks.
You are given a written summary of your operation, the device implanted with its manufacturer, model and serial details, your medication and your follow-up plan. That document is what your own doctor at home will need, so keep it. Carry the device identification card with you when you travel.
After you fly home
Follow-up across a distance
Distance follow-up is a genuine limitation of treatment abroad. It is managed rather than ignored.
You leave Istanbul only after a postoperative review and explicit clearance to fly. Remote reviews continue after you are home, by message and by video where useful, and you are given a direct route back to the surgical team rather than a general enquiry address.
Device activation and pump training happen several weeks after surgery. Some patients return to Istanbul for it; others are trained remotely with written and video guidance and reviewed locally. Which applies to you is agreed in advance, not improvised.
If a complication develops after you are home, you may need care where you live. Discussing that possibility with your own doctor before travelling is sensible, and we will provide whatever documentation they ask for. The complications in question are described on the risks page.
Questions from patients travelling in
How long do I need to stay in Turkey?
Plan for the preoperative consultation and tests, the surgery with one night in hospital, and a postoperative review before you fly. Your exact stay is confirmed in your treatment plan, because it depends on your case and your flights. You should not book a return flight before your dates are confirmed, and you should fly home only once your surgeon has cleared you.
Who will perform my surgery?
Prof. Dr. Bülent Alıcı performs the operation personally, and also carries out your preoperative assessment and postoperative reviews. Ask any clinic you approach to name the operating surgeon in writing before you travel.
What does penile implant surgery cost in Turkey?
The total depends mainly on which device is implanted, the hospital used, and the length and nature of your stay. Revision surgery and cases involving Peyronie’s disease or significant scarring are more complex and are quoted individually. You receive an itemised written quotation before you commit to anything.
How long is recovery after penile implant surgery?
One night in hospital, with the most uncomfortable period in the first week. Most men with desk-based work return around two to three weeks. Exercise resumes gradually from around four to six weeks. The device is usually activated at around four to six weeks, and intercourse resumes after that on your surgeon’s clearance. These are typical ranges rather than fixed rules.
Medical references
We do not publish complication rates, device survival figures or satisfaction percentages on this website without a citation to the study they come from. Where you see a figure quoted elsewhere without a source, treat it with caution.
Guidelines and professional bodies
- Guidelines on Sexual and Reproductive HealthEuropean Association of Urology (EAU) — European guidance covering the assessment and management of erectile dysfunction, including the place of penile prosthesis surgery.
- Erectile Dysfunction: AUA GuidelineAmerican Urological Association (AUA) — United States guidance on the evaluation and treatment of erectile dysfunction, including surgical options.
- Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA)SMSNA — Professional society resources on sexual medicine, including prosthetic surgery.
- International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM)ISSM — International professional society with patient-facing information on sexual medicine.
- PubMedUS National Library of Medicine — Index of peer-reviewed literature. Use it to look up the primary research behind any claim you read about penile implants, including ours.
Device manufacturer documentation
- Coloplast Titan product and technical informationColoplast — Manufacturer documentation for the Titan inflatable penile prosthesis, including materials, configurations and instructions for use.
- AMS 700 product and technical informationBoston Scientific — Manufacturer documentation for the AMS 700 inflatable penile prosthesis, including models, the Conceal reservoir and InhibiZone.
External links open in a new tab and are provided for reference only. We are not affiliated with, and do not speak for, the organisations listed.
Start with a remote assessment
Send your medical history from wherever you are. You will receive an assessment of whether an implant is appropriate, which device would be considered, how long you would need to stay in Istanbul and an itemised quotation.