| Service | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 🇨🇿 Czech Republic | 🇹🇷 Turkey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic surgeon consultation | from USD 23 | — | — |
Prices in the “Ukraine” column come from MediUkraine’s partner clinics. The Czech Republic and Turkey columns show the lower bounds of prices published by clinics there (for Turkey, also the Turkish Dental Association’s recommended 2026 tariff), collected in August 2026 and converted to US dollars at the rate on the day of collection. A dash means we could not find a comparable published price. In any country, the final cost is set by the clinic after an examination.
It all starts with a conversation, not in the operating theatre. The surgeon looks at how much skin and tissue remain, the condition of the scar, whether you have had radiotherapy, and the shape and volume of the other breast. Together with the oncologist, they decide which method suits you and how many stages will be needed: this depends on both the radiotherapy plan and the timing of your cancer treatment.
Immediate reconstruction is performed in the same operation as the mastectomy: the oncologist removes the breast tissue, and the plastic surgeon immediately restores the volume with an implant or your own flap. This option is not always possible: it is more often discussed when the tumour has not grown into the skin and radiotherapy is not expected in the treatment plan.
Delayed reconstruction is done months or even years after treatment. It is not a worse option, just a different one: it gives time to complete chemotherapy and radiotherapy, wait for the tissues to settle and choose the method calmly. Often the first step is a tissue expander, which gradually stretches the skin for the future implant.
Reconstruction with your own tissue uses a flap from the abdomen (TRAM, DIEP) or from the back (LD). A free flap is transferred together with its blood vessels, which are joined to the vessels of the chest wall under a microscope; a back flap is moved on its own vascular pedicle, without microsurgical suturing, and supplemented with an implant if needed. The operation is longer and leaves an additional scar at the donor site, but the volume is restored with your own tissue, which changes along with your body.
Travel. Ukrainian airspace is closed, so there are no commercial flights. Uzhhorod lies right on the border with Slovakia and close to Hungary, so patients usually arrive overland from one of these two countries, by car, bus or train.
Visas. Citizens of the EU, the United Kingdom and the United States do not need a visa for short stays in Ukraine. Rules depend on your citizenship, so check your own before booking.
Safety, plainly. Ukraine is at war. Air raid alerts occur across the country, including in Uzhhorod, and an appointment can be interrupted by one. Several governments advise against travel to Ukraine, and while that advice stands, ordinary travel and medical insurance is often void — confirm your cover with your insurer before you commit to anything.
Language. MediUkraine handles correspondence, scheduling, the written treatment plan and the quote in English. The clinic's team communicates with international patients in English.
Payment. You pay the clinic directly. Our coordination service is free of charge for you.
More on travel, safety and insurance: Safety and travel.
The main situation is removal of the breast because of cancer, either complete or partial. Reconstruction is discussed both after radical mastectomy and after breast-conserving surgery, if the shape of the breast has changed noticeably and the asymmetry affects everyday life.
Reconstruction is also considered after preventive mastectomy, when the breast is removed because of a confirmed genetic mutation, before any disease develops. In these cases immediate reconstruction is more often possible, because the operation is planned and radiotherapy is usually not needed.
A separate group is women who had a mastectomy many years ago. Time in itself is not an obstacle: delayed reconstruction is done a year later or much later still, if the oncologist sees no reason not to and the condition of the tissues allows it.
An unfinished result of a previous reconstruction is also a reason to seek advice: asymmetry, a displaced implant, or a missing nipple and areola. The decision always rests with you: declining reconstruction is just as normal as choosing it.
The timing of reconstruction is set by the oncologist together with the plastic surgeon: the decision depends on the stage, the treatment plan and the condition of the tissues. For delayed reconstruction, the oncologist determines when the procedure can be planned. This is the key limitation, and it is what sets the timing.
The general contraindications are the same as for other major operations under anaesthesia: severe heart and vascular disease, uncontrolled diabetes, blood clotting disorders, acute infections and significant obesity. Some of these conditions can be brought under control and the question revisited later.
A history of radiotherapy does not rule out reconstruction, but it changes the choice of method and the timing. Irradiated skin stretches and heals less well, so in such cases surgeons more often choose your own tissue rather than an implant and wait longer before operating. Smoking also significantly impairs healing, especially with microsurgical techniques.
There is also a limit to expectations that should be stated plainly. The reconstructed breast will not be an exact copy of the one you had: scars remain, skin sensation changes, and such a breast does not produce milk. The surgeon must discuss this before the operation, not after it.
You spend the first days in hospital under supervision. Drains remain in the wound for some time, pain relief and an antibiotic are prescribed, and a nurse helps you get up and care for the stitches. If the reconstruction was done with your own flap, its blood supply is monitored separately, and the time to discharge is usually longer; exactly how long you stay depends on the method and how recovery goes.
Next comes a period of restrictions. You are usually advised not to lift heavy objects, reach up suddenly, sleep on your front, or use a swimming pool or sauna; the clinic prescribes compression garments and wound care. The length of this period is individual and depends on the method, the extent of the operation and how the tissues heal; the surgeon will give you specific timings.
The final shape is not assessed straight away: swelling subsides gradually, scars fade slowly, and the next stages, symmetrisation and nipple reconstruction, are planned once the tissues have settled. Report any redness, fever or discharge from the wound to the surgeon immediately, without waiting for a scheduled check-up.
Some Ukrainian clinics perform breast reconstruction as part of cancer care rather than as a separate aesthetic service. Where plastic surgeons work alongside oncologists and breast specialists, questions of cancer safety and of shape can be discussed in one place; it is worth checking in advance whether this is how the particular clinic is organised.
Reconstruction in Ukraine usually costs less than in EU clinics, and the reason is economic: salaries, rent for premises and the overall cost of medical care are lower here. This applies both to the operation itself and to the related costs of the stay and follow-up visits.
A MediUkraine coordinator arranges a consultation with a plastic surgeon at the partner clinic in Uzhhorod and helps you find out about their training in breast reconstruction. You can ask for documents on the doctor's education and experience before booking: this is normal practice, not a sign of mistrust.
Having the complete pathway in one country also matters: the consultation, the operation, the later stages and the check-ups are planned in sequence, and the dates are agreed in advance. Key cost factors: reconstruction method ▪ number of stages ▪ need for symmetrisation of the other breast
Reconstruction does not replace cancer follow-up. Whether it will complicate further monitoring must be discussed with the oncologist before the operation, and it is the oncologist who determines which method and timing are acceptable in your situation.
Like any major procedure, this operation has its risks: infection, delayed healing, bleeding, problems with the blood supply of the flap and, with implants, capsular contracture or displacement of the implant. The surgeon must list them before you sign the consent form, not mention them in passing.
Patients with implants also face a rare risk of BIA-ALCL, a form of lymphoma associated with breast implants; according to the FDA, it is higher for implants with a textured surface. The surgeon should warn you about it before the operation. Persistent swelling, a build-up of fluid around the implant or a lump appearing months or years after the operation should raise concern, and in that case you need to see a doctor. This is not a reason to automatically decline an implant, but it is a reason not to miss scheduled check-ups.
Preparation helps reduce the risks: well-controlled chronic conditions, stopping smoking, a full work-up and an honest conversation about your previous treatment. Which implants the clinic uses, whether the manufacturer holds the relevant certificates and how sterility is controlled are questions worth asking before the operation; a MediUkraine coordinator helps you find out.
The text on this page is for information only and does not replace a consultation with a doctor. The method, the timing and whether reconstruction is advisable at all are decided by the oncologist and the plastic surgeon after an in-person examination.
📍 Uzhhorod, Ukraine
A multidisciplinary hospital in Uzhhorod, part of a network of medical facilities in western Ukraine: an outpatient clinic, a surgical centre covering 15 specialties and a 30-bed inpatient unit. Its 52 doctors include professors and PhDs; many operations are done as day surgery, with discharge after 1–2 days.
The timing is set by the oncologist, not the plastic surgeon. Immediate reconstruction is discussed before the mastectomy, if the planned treatment allows it. Delayed reconstruction is usually planned after the main treatment; the specific timing is set by the team of doctors.
There is no universal answer: the choice depends on your situation and is made together with the oncologist and the plastic surgeon. An implant means a shorter operation without an additional scar elsewhere, but the implant may need replacing over time. Your own tissue changes along with your body, but the operation is more complex and leaves a scar at the donor site.
Yes, time in itself is not an obstacle. Delayed reconstruction is done even years after treatment, if the oncologist sees no reason not to. The surgeon assesses the condition of the skin and scar and suggests a method on that basis.
This must be discussed with the oncologist before the operation. Follow-up continues after reconstruction; only the monitoring methods, chosen by the doctor, change. Do not skip scheduled check-ups and examinations.
Often it is not a single operation. First the volume is restored with an implant, an expander that is later replaced, or your own flap. Then, if needed, the other breast is adjusted for symmetry, and the nipple and areola are reconstructed in a separate minor stage.
Skin sensation changes after mastectomy and reconstruction, and you should not expect it to return to its previous level. It may partly recover over time, depending on the method, the extent of the procedure and how healing goes, and the result cannot be predicted in advance. The surgeon should discuss this with you before the operation.
The first step is a consultation with a plastic surgeon at the partner clinic, from USD 23. The cost of reconstruction itself depends on the method, the number of stages and whether symmetrisation of the other breast is needed, so the doctor names the plan and the estimate after the in-person consultation and a review of your documents; if additional stages are needed, the amount is recalculated. A MediUkraine coordinator can help you get an estimate before you travel.
Tell us what you need: we will suggest a clinic and a doctor and send you a cost estimate.
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