Hisar Hospital Intercontinental
Hisar Hospital Intercontinental
Turkey, Istanbul
Ertugrul Pinar
7 years of experience
Clinic is certified :
Craniotomy in Turkey typically costs from AUD $9,051 to AUD $20,331, depending on the surgical complexity and necessary intensive care stay. In Australia, similar procedures cost around AUD $49,435 on average, meaning patients can save approximately 70%. These costs usually cover the neurosurgical procedure, postoperative brain scans, and essential ICU monitoring in medical hubs like Istanbul and Ankara.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Choosing a specialist with high procedural volumes offers superior value for Australian patients. For example, Dr Ertugrul Pinar has performed over 900 brain procedures. Some packages, starting around A$7,900, include critical postoperative CT scans and airport transfers. This provides a clear cost structure compared to the high out-of-pocket expenses often found in the Australian private system.
| Turkey | Thailand | South Korea | |
| Craniotomy | from AUD $9,051 | from AUD $20,888 | from AUD $22,977 |
Dr Ertugrul Pinar has performed over 900 neurosurgical procedures at Hisar Hospital Intercontinental – a major Turkish centre for complex cranial care.
Dr. Mustafa Solak is a clinical oncologist at Hisar Hospital Intercontinental in Istanbul. He completed a fellowship at the prestigious Hacettepe University Cancer Institute. Dr. Solak previously practiced at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He treats a variety of complex cancers, including lung, breast, and gastrointestinal malignancies.
Professor Ahmet Hilmi Kaya is a senior neurosurgeon at Anadolu Medical Center, specialising in complex skull base surgery and stereotactic biopsy procedures.
Associate Professor Mehmet Tonge is a specialist neurosurgeon who trained at Zurich University Hospital in intraoperative MRI and microneurosurgery techniques.
Neurosurgeons in Turkey must complete 11 years of medical education and specialised training. This is mandatory before they perform craniotomies. This involves a 6-year medical degree followed by a competitive 5-year neurosurgery residency. Many specialists hold international board certifications and fellowships from major European or American institutions.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Turkish neurosurgery is highly academic. Many senior surgeons at JCI-accredited clinics hold the title of Professor or Associate Professor. This includes surgeons at Memorial Sisli or Hisar Hospital. For example, Dr Ertugrul Pinar has performed 900+ brain procedures. This demonstrates the high-volume experience common among these specialists.
Patient Consensus: Patients in Turkey feel confident with surgeons who hold international certifications. They also prefer those who practise in JCI-accredited hospitals with full ICU support. They recommend verifying specialist status and registration with the Turkish Health Ministry. This supports high-quality care.
Australian patients seeking a craniotomy in Turkey should prioritise Joint Commission International accreditation as the primary benchmark for surgical safety. This certification means the facility meets over 1,000 rigorous standards. These cover intensive care capabilities, neurosurgical infection control, and anaesthesia protocols needed for complex brain surgery.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While many clinics hold JCI status, the best value for Australians lies in packages that include specific postoperative safeguards. For example, Hisar Hospital Intercontinental bundles three nights in the ICU and follow-up brain scans into their A$8,900 cavernous haemangioma removal packages. This means specialists monitor immediate recovery.
Patient Consensus: Patients felt safe in Istanbul clinics because the neurosurgery teams provided clear English explanations. The inclusion of airport transfers and hospital stays in all-inclusive packages removed the stress of navigating a foreign country after surgery.
Craniotomy packages in Turkey typically bundle surgical fees, neurosurgeon consultations, pre-operative blood panels, and neuro-imaging like 3 Tesla MRI. These all-inclusive arrangements usually include a 1–3 night stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). They also include VIP airport-to-hospital transfers at JCI-accredited facilities.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While basic packages start from $6,500, those including specialised drains like External Ventricular Drains (EVD) or lumbar drains are priced higher to cover critical care consumables. Hisar Hospital Intercontinental often bundles these post-op requirements into their fixed-price neurosurgery packages. This provides better financial certainty for complex cases.
Patient Consensus: Turkey offers comprehensive support where airport pickups and transfers between the clinic and hotel are standard inclusions. Confirm every detail in writing. This is especially important for meals and who pays if complications extend the ICU stay.
Patients typically stay in Turkey for 10 to 14 days after a craniotomy before flying. The hospital stay lasts 2 to 7 days. Neurosurgeons then require extra time for intracranial air to reabsorb. This waiting period prevents complications from cabin pressure changes during long-haul flights.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While hospital stays are brief, the real recovery window varies by technique. Microvascular decompression patients often recover faster than those undergoing complex tumour resections. At Hisar Hospital Intercontinental, surgeons like Dr. Ertugrul Pinar include postoperative CT scans in packages. These scans verify stability before clearing international travel.
Patient Consensus: Expect to spend at least one week in Turkey after discharge for safety. Patients might need help with mobility or wound care during the first few days at their hotel.