Liver Biopsy in Turkey

Liver Biopsy Procedure in Turkey

In Turkey, liver biopsy is the analysis of a very small sample of liver tissue. The sample is examined for signs of scarring, damage, or disease.

There is no alternative procedure that will give the doctors the same information as a liver biopsy, but there are various ways of performing it. A liver biopsy can be done through the side (percutaneous) or, if there are problems with the blood’s ability to clot, through a long needle inserted through a small cut in the neck and, under x-ray guidance, passed into the liver.

Some less invasive procedures can assess liver damage by measuring how stiff or flexible the liver is; a scarred liver is stiffer than an unscarred liver. One invasive procedure is FibroScan, which uses ultrasound, and another method is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These methods are painless but they are not as successful as a biopsy in identifying liver damage. They can confirm cirrhosis but are not good at detecting mild or moderate liver damage.

Why Is Liver Biopsy Performed in Turkey?

A liver biopsy may be used to see if you have liver conditions that can’t be diagnosed by symptoms or lab tests. A liver biopsy can be done if you have:

An enlarged liver

Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)

Abnormal lab tests that suggest liver disease

Hepatitis

Alcoholic liver disease

Liver tumors

Fatty liver

Metabolic or autoimmune disease

Fibrosis of the liver

Doctors typically employ a broad array of blood tests and imaging studies (for example, CT, and MRI scans) in an effort to diagnose a patient’s liver disease. In some cases, those tests do not lead to a diagnosis. Sometimes, a patient’s clinical history, blood tests, or imaging studies may strongly suggest a particular diagnosis.

A liver biopsy can be used to confirm the physician’s clinical suspicions. This is particularly important in view of the fact that many liver diseases require life-long therapy, therefore making a correct diagnosis is critical before committing the patient to a long course of treatment with a particular drug.

In other cases, blood test results may point to the co-existence of two liver diseases in the same patient at the same time (for example, alcoholic hepatitis as well as chronic hepatitis C). Therefore, liver biopsy results may clarify whether a patient is suffering from one or two diseases.

Besides, liver biopsy results may be used to monitor the effectiveness of therapy. As an example, a patient under long-term medical therapy for autoimmune hepatitis may require a follow-up liver biopsy to determine whether or not therapy is successful at suppressing hepatitis.

A liver biopsy also can be used to assess the severity of a patient’s condition. For example, a patient’s clinical history and laboratory tests might strongly point to a diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Knowledge of the severity of the patient’s chronic hepatitis C will help determine whether the patient needs immediate therapy or whether therapy may be deferred to a later date.

Prepare for Liver Biopsy in Turkey

Before you have your liver biopsy it is important that you understand what is involved and why it is being done as you will be asked to give written consent for this procedure. If you have any questions or concerns, please speak to your doctor. If you are nervous, can ask them about having sedation before the biopsy.

You also need to tell the doctor about any tablets you are taking and allergies you have (tablets, plasters, etc). If you are taking tablets containing Aspirin or Clopidogrel (Plavix), you should stop taking these -12-14 days before the procedure, but please speak to your doctor before stopping them.

The doctors advise you not to eat or drink too much in the 3 hours before the liver biopsy and you should also go to the toilet before the biopsy. Before the liver biopsy, you will have a blood test so the doctor can check that your blood is clotting well enough. If it is unsafe the doctor will not proceed with the liver biopsy.

How Is Liver Biopsy Performed in Turkey?

A liver biopsy takes place at a hospital or outpatient center. Just before your biopsy, you will have an IV line placed, generally into a vein in your arm, so that you can be given medicines if you need them. And possibly be given a sedative to help you relax during the procedure.

The steps involved in the procedure vary according to the liver biopsy type.

Percutaneous Liver Biopsy in Turkey

To begin your procedure, your doctor locates your liver by tapping on your abdomen or using ultrasound images. In certain cases, ultrasound might be used during the biopsy to guide the needle into your liver. You should lie on your back and position your right hand above your head on the table.

Your doctor applies a numbing medication to the area where the needle will be inserted, then makes a small incision near the bottom of your rib cage on your right side and inserts the biopsy needle. As the needle passes quickly in and out of your liver, you’ll be asked to hold your breath, the liver biopsy itself takes just a few seconds.

Transjugular Liver Biopsy in Turkey

In this procedure, you lie on your back on an X-ray table. Your doctor applies a numbing medicine to one side of your neck. After, a small incision is made, and a flexible plastic tube is inserted into your jugular vein. The tube is threaded down the jugular vein and into the large vein in your liver, known as the hepatic vein.

Your doctor then injects a contrast dye into the tube and makes a series of X-ray images. The dye shows up on the images, allowing the doctor to see the hepatic vein. A biopsy needle is then threaded through the tube, and 1 or more liver samples are removed. The catheter is carefully removed, and the incision on your neck is covered with bandages.

Laparoscopic Liver Biopsy in Turkey

During a laparoscopic biopsy in Turkey, you’ll likely receive general anesthetics. You should lie on your back on an operating table, and your doctor makes one or more small incisions in your abdomen during the procedure.

Special tools are inserted through the incisions, including a tiny video camera that projects images on a monitor. The doctor uses video images to guide the tools to the liver to remove tissue samples. The tools are carefully removed, and the incisions are closed with stitches.

Recovery from Liver Biopsy in Turkey

Your recovery process will vary depending on the type of biopsy you had and your doctor’s practices. You can be taken to the recovery room to be watched if your biopsy was done in a procedure room or in the radiology department. Once your blood pressure, pulse, and breathing are stable and you are alert, you can be taken to a hospital room or discharged to your home.

You will be asked to rest, lying on your right side, for 1-2 hours. This will put pressure on the biopsy area. Depending on your condition and your doctor’s preferences, you may be told to stay on bed rest for an additional 4 to 24 hours. If you are discharged home within a few hours after the procedure, you can be told to stay on bed rest at home for a certain amount of time.

The blood sample may be taken a few hours after the biopsy to check for possible internal blood loss. You should leave the bandage in place for as long as instructed, usually until the next day.

You will be told to avoid intense activity, like heavy lifting, for several days up to a week or longer. You should not cough hard or strain for a few hours after the liver biopsy. The biopsy area may be sore for a few days. You can take pain medicine as recommended by your provider. Aspirin or other pain medicines may raise your risk of bleeding, thus only take medicines that your doctor has approved.

Benefits of Liver Biopsy

The key benefit of biopsy is the correct determination of a disease’s diagnosis. So, once a diagnosis is correctly made, physicians can begin appropriate treatment.

Sometimes, a liver biopsy is performed to determine whether or not the liver disease is stable or has progressed over a period of time. Uncertainty as to the severity of one’s disease may be devastating for some patients. The results of a liver biopsy may bring the patient comfort, even if the biopsy shows that the individual’s disease has progressed.

Result Of Liver Biopsy in Turkey

There are two main methods of scoring liver biopsy results: Metavir and Knodell.

In the Metavir method, biopsy results are assigned a grade and a stage. The grade indicates the amount of inflammation and the stage measures the amount of fibrosis or scarring. Each index is scored from 0-4 with 4 being the most severe score.

The Knodell method (or histologic activity index, HAI) is more complicated. Like the Metavir method, it measures inflammation from 0-18 and scarring from 0-4.

2024 Cost of Liver Biopsy in Turkey

All types of medical attention like liver biopsies are very affordable in Turkey. Many factors are also included in determining the cost of liver biopsy in Turkey. Your process with Healthy Türkiye will last from the time you decide to have a liver biopsy in Turkey until the time you are fully recovered even if you are back home. The exact liver biopsy procedure cost in Turkey depends on the type of operation involved.

The cost of liver biopsy in Turkey does not demonstrate many variations in 2024. Compared to costs in developed countries like the United States or the UK, liver biopsy costs in Turkey are relatively low. So, it’s no wonder patients from across the world visit Turkey for liver biopsy procedures. However, the price is not the only factor affecting choices. We suggest looking for hospitals that are safe and have liver biopsy reviews on Google. When people decide to seek medical help for liver biopsy, they will not only have had low-cost procedures in Turkey, but also the safest and best treatment.

At clinics or hospitals contracted with Healthy Türkiye, patients will receive the best liver biopsy from specialist doctors in Turkey at affordable rates. Healthy Türkiye teams to provide medical attention to liver biopsy procedures and high-quality treatment to patients at a minimum cost. When you contact Healthy Türkiye assistants, you can get free information about the cost of liver biopsy in Turkey and what this cost covers.

The prices may vary based on specific procedure requirements. Contact us for exact price information.

Why Is Liver Biopsy Cheaper in Turkey?

One of the main considerations before traveling abroad for a liver biopsy is the cost-effectiveness of the whole process. Many patients think that when they add flight tickets and hotel expenses to their liver biopsy costs, it will become very expensive to travel, which is not true. Contrary to popular belief, round-trip flight tickets to Turkey for liver biopsy can be booked very affordably.

In this case, assuming you are staying in Turkey for your liver biopsy, your total travel expense of flight tickets and accommodation will only cost less than any other developed country, which is nothing compared to the amount that you are saving. The question “why is liver biopsy cheaper in Turkey?” is so common between patients or people simply curious about getting their medical treatment in Turkey. When it comes to liver biopsy prices in Turkey, there are 3 factors allow cheaper prices:

The currency exchange is favorable for whoever looking for a liver biopsy has a euro, dollar, or pound;

The lower cost of living and cheaper overall medical expenses such as liver biopsy;

For a liver biopsy, incentives are given by the Turkish Government to medical clinics working with international clients;

All these factors allow for cheaper liver biopsy prices, but let’s be clear, these prices are cheaper for people with strong currencies (as we said, euro, dollar, Canadian dollar, pound, etc).

Every year, thousands of patients from all over the world come to Turkey to get a liver biopsy. The success of the healthcare system has increased in recent years, especially for liver biopsy. It’s easy to find well-educated and English-speaking medical professionals in Turkey for all kinds of medical treatment such as liver biopsies.

Why Choose Turkey for Liver Biopsy?

Turkey is a common choice among international patients seeking advanced liver biopsy. Turkey’s health procedures are safe and effective operations with a high success rate like liver biopsy. The increasing demand for high-quality liver biopsies at affordable prices has made Turkey a popular medical travel destination. In Turkey, liver biopsy is performed by highly experienced and trained doctors with the most advanced technology in the world. liver biopsy is done in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, and other major cities. The reasons for choosing liver biopsy in Turkey are as follows:

High-quality hospitals: Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals have dedicated liver biopsy units that are specially designed for patients. International and national strict protocols provide effective and successful liver biopsy for patients in Turkey.

Qualified experts: The expert teams include nurses and specialist doctors, together to carry out liver biopsy according to the patient’s needs. All the included doctors are highly experienced in performing a liver biopsy.

Affordable price: The cost of liver biopsy in Turkey is affordable compared to Europe, the USA, the UK, Singapore, Australia, etc.

The high success rate: Highly experienced specialists, the best available technology, and stringently followed safety guidelines for post-operative care of the patient, resulting in a high success rate for liver biopsy in Turkey.

Is Liver Biopsy Safe in Turkey?

Did you know Turkey is one of the most visited destinations for liver biopsy in the world? It is ranked one of the most visited tourist destinations for liver biopsy. Over the years it has also come to be a very popular medical tourism destination too with many tourists coming in for a liver biopsy. There are so many reasons why Turkey stands out as a leading destination for liver biopsy. Because Turkey is both safe and easy to travel to too with a regional airport hub and flight connections to pretty much everywhere, it is preferred for liver biopsy.

The best hospitals in Turkey have experienced medical staff and specialists who have performed thousands of medical services such as liver biopsy. All procedures and coordination related to liver biopsy are controlled by the Ministry of Health in accordance with the law. Over many years, the greatest progress in medicine has been observed in the field of liver biopsy. Turkey is known among foreign patients for its great opportunities in the area of liver biopsy.

To emphasize, besides the price itself, the key factor in selecting a destination for liver biopsy is certainly the standard of medical services, the hospital staff’s high expertise, hospitality, and the safety of the country.

All-Inclusive Packages for Liver Biopsy in Turkey

Healthy Türkiye offers all-inclusive packages for liver biopsy in Turkey at much lower prices. Extremely professional and experienced doctors and technicians carry out high-quality liver biopsies. The cost of liver biopsy in European countries can be quite expensive, especially in the UK. Healthy Türkiye provides cheap all-inclusive packages for long and short stays of a liver biopsy in Turkey. Because of many factors, we can provide you with many opportunities for your liver biopsy in Turkey.

The price of liver biopsy differs from other countries due to medical fees, staff labor prices, exchange rates, and market competition. You can save much more in liver biopsy compared to other countries in Turkey. When you purchase a liver biopsy all-inclusive package with Healthy Türkiye our healthcare team will present hotels for you to choose from. In liver biopsy travel, you will have the price of your stay included in the all-inclusive package cost.

In Turkey, when you purchase liver biopsy all-inclusive packages through Healthy Türkiye, you will always receive VIP transfers. These are provided by Healthy Türkiye, which is contracted with highly qualified hospitals for liver biopsy in Turkey. Healthy Türkiye teams will organize everything about liver biopsy for you and have you picked up from the airport and safely brought to your accommodation.

Once settled in the hotel, you will be transferred to and from the clinic or hospital for a liver biopsy. After your liver biopsy has been successfully completed, the transfer team will return you to the airport in time for your flight home. In Turkey, all packages of liver biopsy can be arranged upon request, which relaxes the minds of our patients.