Cosmetic Surgery Abroad: Complications and Returning Home

Why this question comes up

Every year, many patients travel abroad for cosmetic, dental or bariatric procedures, attracted by lower prices or all-inclusive packages. Most go home without problems. But complications can happen after any operation, and when they appear far from home, the patient and the family face a difficult situation: a clinic they do not know, a language barrier and often no clear follow-up.

If a complication appears

• Contact the clinic that performed the procedure without delay, and a doctor on site if the situation seems serious.
• Do not wait if you have severe pain, a high fever, breathing difficulties or a wound that worsens: these situations call for medical attention at once.
• Ask the clinic for the full medical file: operative report, anesthesia record, treatments given and, for implants, the references.
• Call your assistance company or insurer, if you have one, and tell them it follows an elective procedure.

What a medical return involves

When the patient needs to be brought home, the process is similar to any medical repatriation:

• Our coordinating physician collects the file from the clinic and assesses the patient's fitness to fly.
• The means of transport is chosen: a commercial flight with a medical escort for a stable patient, or an air ambulance if the condition requires it.
• The French receiving team is contacted in advance, so that care continues on arrival.
• Ground transfers are organized at both ends, from bed to bed.

Insurance: what to know

Coverage depends entirely on the contract. Many insurance contracts exclude or limit the complications of elective procedures, such as cosmetic surgery, so the patient may have to bear the cost of the return. It is worth checking this before leaving, and asking the clinic and the insurer what is covered. We can give a written quote before departure.

Before an operation abroad

• Check the clinic and the surgeon, and ask about their post-operative follow-up.
• Make sure you have a doctor at home who agrees to follow you after the operation.
• Ask for a written quote and a written description of what is included.
• Check your insurance, especially the exclusions for elective procedures.
• Plan to stay long enough after the operation, as recommended by the surgeon.

We organize medical returns from many countries, including Turkey, Tunisia, the Dominican Republic and Albania. To go further, read whether your travel insurance covers an air ambulance.

General information only — not personalized medical, legal or insurance advice. Your insurance contract and the treating physician's opinion prevail in your situation.