Izmir surgeon says bariatric patients should stay four nights in hospital

A bariatric surgeon in Izmir is pushing back against the common practice of sending medical tourists to hotels too soon after weight-loss surgery. Op. Dr. Volkan Arayici says the first 72 hours are the critical window for spotting complications and keeps patients four nights in a JCI- and TEMOS-accredited hospital.

Why it matters: - The first three days after bariatric surgery are when serious complications are most likely to appear. - A hotel transfer can delay treatment for a leak, bleeding or thrombosis. - For patients traveling abroad for weight-loss surgery, the number of hospital nights is a safety issue, not just a package detail.

What happened: - Op. Dr. Volkan Arayici, a general surgeon focused on obesity and metabolic surgery in Izmir, says his patients stay four nights in the hospital after a gastric sleeve, gastric bypass or revision surgery. - The patients remain in the hospital through routine discharge and are not moved to a hotel in between. - Surgery takes place in a JCI- and TEMOS-accredited hospital in Izmir. - Endoscopy, intensive care and emergency surgery are available in the same facility around the clock. - Arayici has also publicly documented the full process of a gastric sleeve operation in Turkey.

The details: - Arayici says the first 72 hours after bariatric surgery are the period when a leak, postoperative bleeding or thrombosis can show up. - He argues that once a patient is in a hotel room during that window, response time depends more on chance than on medicine. - Early transfer is largely a cost decision because hospital beds with nursing oversight cost more than hotel rooms. - He says low-priced package offers often leave out that tradeoff. - Arayici recommends that patients ask for the number of hospital nights in writing before booking any surgery abroad. - He has also published information on how safe gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey is and on how to evaluate a bariatric clinic. - His checklist asks patients to verify who will operate, how many nights they will stay, whether pre-op tests are included, which hospital is accredited, whether the surgeon belongs to a bariatric society, who pays for complications and who answers questions after returning home. - Arayici says his pricing starts at 3,500 euros for a gastric sleeve and 4,000 euros for a gastric bypass. - The package includes surgery, all preoperative tests, four hospital nights, transfers and 12 months of follow-up by video call and WhatsApp. - Airfare is not included, and the package starts when the patient lands in Izmir. - He works without a deposit or installment plan, and payment is made on the day of surgery at the hospital.

Between the lines: - The message is aimed at medical tourists comparing bundled surgery offers across countries. - By emphasizing four inpatient nights, Arayici is positioning longer monitoring as the safer standard than a hotel-based recovery. - The pricing and included services are presented as a transparency play in a market where package details can be hard to compare.

What's next: - Patients considering bariatric surgery in Turkey are being directed to ask for written confirmation of the hospital stay before they book. - Arayici says follow-up continues for 12 months after surgery, including remote check-ins. - His clinic contact information and social media channels are available through his published materials and more information.

The bottom line: - In bariatric tourism, the hospital stay can matter as much as the operation itself, and Arayici says four nights inpatient is the safer answer.