Pre-Operative Guide

Good preparation begins before the day of surgery. It connects the medical plan, anaesthesia requirements, practical arrangements and the first days of recovery so that important decisions are not left until the last moment.

This page provides the general framework. Once your procedure has been confirmed, use the procedure-specific PDF guide below together with the instructions given directly by your surgeon and anaesthesia team.

Start with the confirmed medical plan

Preparation should follow the operation that has actually been recommended to you. Before arranging the final details, make sure you understand which procedure is planned, where it will take place, who will perform it and whether any part of the plan still depends on physical examination or additional medical information.

For international patients, flights and accommodation should remain flexible enough to accommodate the clinical pathway. A travel booking should never force a medical decision that still needs clarification.

Prepare for the operation you are actually having — not for a generic idea of surgery.

Medical information comes first

Provide an accurate medical history, including previous operations, relevant illnesses, allergies, regular medications and any previous problems with surgery or anaesthesia. Information that appears unrelated to plastic surgery can still affect planning.

If tests, imaging, specialist opinions or additional records are requested, complete them according to the clinical team’s instructions. The purpose is not to create paperwork; it is to identify information that could change timing, anaesthesia or the surgical plan.

Medicines, supplements and nicotine

Do not stop prescribed medication, change doses or begin a new supplement because of generic information found online. Medication instructions depend on your medical history, the planned procedure and the anaesthesia pathway.

Nicotine exposure can be particularly relevant to surgical healing. Cigarettes, vaping and other nicotine products should therefore be discussed honestly during consultation. Follow the individual instructions provided by the treating team.

Prepare the recovery environment before surgery

The first days after surgery are easier when practical questions have already been solved. Think about transport, help at home or at the hotel, clothing, sleeping arrangements, meals, childcare, work responsibilities and any mobility limitations that may follow the operation.

If you are travelling to Istanbul, make sure the accommodation and transfer plan are compatible with the expected early recovery rather than simply convenient for sightseeing or flight schedules.

Procedure-specific pre-operative PDF library

The general principles above apply across many operations, but the details do not. Each operation will therefore have its own downloadable preparation guide. Once a procedure is confirmed, use the matching PDF rather than combining instructions from several different operations.

Breast surgery

Face and neck surgery

Body surgery

The procedure-specific PDF does not replace your individual instructions

The downloadable guides are intended to organise preparation and make important questions easier to remember. They cannot account for every medical condition, medication, combination of procedures or change in the surgical plan.

If the surgeon, anaesthesia team or clinic gives you instructions that differ from a general PDF, follow the patient-specific instructions issued for your case.

What to clarify before the surgical date

• Which procedure or combination of procedures has actually been confirmed?
• Is any part of the plan still provisional until examination?
• Are any tests, reports or specialist reviews still outstanding?
• Have your regular medications and supplements been reviewed?
• Do you understand the fasting and arrival instructions issued by the clinical team?
• Who will accompany or support you during the early recovery period?
• Have work, travel and accommodation been planned around recovery?
• Do you know whom to contact if something changes before surgery?