Prostate Surgery in Turkey

Prostate surgery in Turkey covers both an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH) and localised prostate cancer, using modern techniques such as TURP, HoLEP and laser surgery for BPH, and robot-assisted (da Vinci), laparoscopic or open radical prostatectomy for cancer. International patients typically choose Turkey for board-certified urologists, JCI-accredited hospitals and shorter waiting times at a fraction of UK or US private costs. The right operation depends entirely on your diagnosis, prostate size, symptoms and, for cancer, the stage and Gleason/ISUP grade, so every plan should follow a proper urology review rather than a fixed package.

Prostate surgery is an umbrella term for several different operations on the prostate gland, which sits below the bladder and surrounds the urethra. Broadly, it is performed for two reasons. The first is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) — a non-cancerous enlargement that obstructs urine flow and causes a weak stream, straining, frequent or night-time urination, incomplete emptying or urinary retention. The second is prostate cancer that is confined to the gland, where the aim is to remove the cancer while preserving urinary control and, where possible, erectile function.

For BPH, the most common approach is transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), where obstructing tissue is removed through the urethra with no external incision; alternatives include HoLEP (holmium laser enucleation), GreenLight or bipolar laser vaporisation, simple (open or laparoscopic) prostatectomy for very large glands, and minimally invasive options such as UroLift or Rezum water-vapour therapy for selected, smaller prostates. For localised cancer, a radical (total) prostatectomy removes the whole prostate and seminal vesicles, most often using robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (da Vinci) or conventional laparoscopy, with open surgery in some cases. Where the cancer location allows, surgeons use a nerve-sparing technique to protect the nerve bundles that govern erections. Before any operation you should have a full work-up — PSA, uroflowmetry and post-void residual, prostate volume on ultrasound or MRI, and for cancer an MRI and biopsy with a Gleason/ISUP grade and staging — so the technique is matched to your anatomy and diagnosis.

• Covers both an enlarged prostate (TURP, HoLEP, laser, UroLift, Rezum) and localised prostate cancer (robotic, laparoscopic or open radical prostatectomy)
• Board-certified urologists in JCI-accredited hospitals, with multidisciplinary review for cancer cases
• Nerve-sparing options to help preserve continence and erectile function where oncologically safe
• Typical stay 7–10 days; recovery 4–6 weeks depending on the procedure
• Independent facilitator: vetted accredited clinics, you pay the hospital directly

1. 01

   Remote review and diagnostics

   You share your PSA history, MRI, biopsy or Gleason report, prostate volume and symptom details. A board-certified urologist reviews everything and, for cancer, the case is discussed in a multidisciplinary setting.

2. 02

   Personalised plan and written quote

   You receive a recommended technique (for example TURP, HoLEP or robotic radical prostatectomy), an itemised written quote from the hospital and an honest discussion of expected benefits, risks and alternatives.

3. 03

   Arrival and pre-operative assessment

   In Turkey you have bloods, anaesthetic assessment and any confirmatory imaging. The surgeon reviews the plan with you in person, with a medical interpreter present.

4. 04

   Surgery

   The procedure is carried out under spinal or general anaesthesia by a board-certified urologist, using the agreed technique and nerve-sparing where it is oncologically safe and appropriate.

5. 05

   Inpatient recovery and catheter care

   You stay in hospital while your team monitors bleeding, manages pain and cares for the urinary catheter. Early mobilisation is encouraged to reduce the risk of clots.

6. 06

   Aftercare and structured follow-up

   The catheter is removed when appropriate, you are given discharge instructions and pelvic-floor advice, and Unal coordinates remote follow-up plus a clear PSA, continence and (for cancer) oncology monitoring plan with your home doctor.

You may be a candidate if you have an enlarged prostate causing bothersome urinary symptoms, recurrent retention, bladder stones, blood in the urine or kidney strain that has not responded to medication, or if you have localised prostate cancer for which surgery has been recommended after proper imaging and biopsy. Suitability depends on your overall fitness for anaesthesia, prostate size, cancer stage and grade, and your own priorities around continence and sexual function. Surgery is generally not the first step for mild symptoms that respond to medication, and it is not appropriate where cancer has spread beyond the prostate or where active surveillance or radiotherapy is a better option — these decisions should be made with a urologist and, for cancer, a multidisciplinary team. Patients on blood thinners or with significant heart, lung or bleeding conditions need careful pre-operative assessment.

• Access to advanced techniques — HoLEP and GreenLight laser for BPH, robot-assisted (da Vinci) radical prostatectomy for cancer — often with short waiting times
• Board-certified urologists operating in JCI-accredited hospitals with modern theatres
• Multidisciplinary review for cancer cases involving urology, oncology, radiology and pathology
• Nerve-sparing options to help protect continence and erectile function where oncologically safe
• A fully coordinated package: hospital, surgeon, interpreter, transfers and accommodation handled for you
• Transparent hospital pricing, typically far below UK or US private fees, with structured remote aftercare

Recovery depends heavily on which operation you have. After TURP or laser surgery for BPH, you usually go home with a catheter for a few days, notice blood in the urine that settles over one to two weeks, and return to light activity within two to three weeks. After a radical prostatectomy for cancer, the catheter typically stays in for around one to two weeks, and most men avoid heavy lifting, strenuous exercise and cycling for about four to six weeks. A typical stay in Turkey is 7–10 days so your team can remove or review the catheter and confirm you are healing well before you fly.

For BPH, most men experience a noticeably stronger urine stream, less straining and fewer night-time trips, with results that build over the first few weeks as swelling settles; very large glands and longstanding bladder changes can limit how much improves. For localised prostate cancer, the goal of surgery is to remove the cancer and achieve an undetectable PSA, which is then monitored over time; success depends on stage, grade and margins, and a minority of men need additional treatment such as radiotherapy. Continence usually improves over weeks to months, and erectile recovery — when nerve-sparing is possible — can take many months and is not guaranteed. No surgeon can promise a specific outcome or a cure.

Turkey combines internationally trained, high-volume urologists and JCI-accredited hospitals equipped for laser BPH surgery and robotic radical prostatectomy, usually with much shorter waiting times and prices well below UK or US private care. Unal Cakar is an independent health-tourism facilitator and patient advocate — not a clinic and not a doctor — who vets accredited hospitals, arranges your urology review and (for cancer) multidisciplinary input, and coordinates interpreting, logistics and structured aftercare. You always pay the hospital directly for your treatment; Unal is sponsored by vetted partner hospitals, so his role is to advocate for safe, appropriate care rather than to sell you a procedure.