Heart surgery in Iran

Understand heart surgery, the options to discuss with a qualified clinician and what to confirm before planning a visit to Shiraz.

On this page

• Angiography
• Angioplasty
• Heart Valve Replacement Surgery
• Heart Transplant Surgery
• Aortic Aneurysm Surgery
• Heart Pacemaker Surgery
• Open Heart Surgery
• Echo
• 3- Iran is a wonderful country to visit
• Open-heart surgery in Iran
• How is open heart surgery performed?
• What to expect after open heart surgery?
• Open-heart surgery recovery
• What are the risks and complications of open heart surgery?
• Minimally-invasive heart surgery in Iran
• A practical point for your care
• Planning treatment in Shiraz
• Sources

Wondering what this packages actually brings to you?

How much does it cost to have heart surgery in Iran?

Costs vary depending on many factors, including the type of surgery, the hospital, the surgeon, pre-op tests, hospital stay, etc., but generally, you can save a lot by having your heart surgery done in Iran rather than in a European country, for example — even if you have to stay in the country for a few weeks.

Angiography

Coronary angiography is a technique of imaging that uses X-ray to view blood vessels and identify any abnormality within the artery such as blockage…

Angioplasty

Coronary angioplasty is a treatment intended to fix narrowed or clogged arteries with the aim of enhancing blood flow. It can effectively …

Heart Valve Replacement Surgery

Heart valve replacement is a surgical procedure which involves replacing one or more of the heart valves with …

Heart Transplant Surgery

In heart transplant surgery, the patient’s heart is replaced by a natural heart from a donor who died recently or may be by an artificial heart.

Aortic Aneurysm Surgery

Aortic aneurysm surgery is an operation to repair or replace the section of the artery that is bulging out. An aneurysm can occur when …

Heart Pacemaker Surgery

Heart pacemaker surgery is a surgical procedure performed for implanting a device under the skin near the heart to control the irregular heartbeats…

Open Heart Surgery

Open (traditional) heart surgery is when the chest is cut open and surgery is performed on the muscles, valves, or arteries of the heart…

Echo

Echocardiography test is a procedure that uses ultrasound waves to take real-time images called echocardiogram …

Iran is currently leading the Middle East in cardiology thanks to the significant progress it has made in this field and the extensive expertise of Iranian cardiac surgeons. Utilizing up-to-date technologies, Iranian heart surgeons are able to perform the most delicate and complex heart procedures, including different types of open-heart surgery and minimally-invasive heart surgery.

Given the fact that Iran offers cost-effective healthcare services, heart patients from different countries are increasingly becoming interested to travel to Iran for heart surgery. People looking for minimally-invasive or open-heart surgery abroad should find Iran a great choice because of the following reasons:

Iranian cardiac surgeons possess profound knowledge of the latest techniques for cardiovascular surgery. Not only do Iranian specialists continuously advance their theoretical and practical knowledge to keep up with the latest scientific findings and medical technologies, but they also make notable contributions to the advancement of cardiology and heart surgery, some of them winning worldwide recognition.

One example is Professor Tofy Mussivand, an Iranian-Canadian cardiac surgeon and medical engineer who invented the Artificial Cardiac Pump, among other inventions. This device is intended to take over the function of the heart during cardiac surgery when the heart needs to be temporarily stopped. Professor Mussivand is currently Chair and Director of the Cardiovascular Devices Research Laboratory at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

The remarkable skills and expertise of Iranian cardiac surgeons have led to major achievements in cardiac surgery in Iran and the self-sufficiency of the country in this field. Today, the most difficult and delicate heart operations are performed by the dexterous Iranian surgeons at Iranian hospitals.

In a record-breaking move in June 2019, Iranian cardiac surgeons successfully performed an open heart surgery known as ‘arterial switch’ on a 1400-gram baby who was suffering from a congenital heart defect called ‘dextro-transposition of the great arteries’ (d-TGA). This very delicate pediatric open-heart surgery was carried out in a Tehran heart hospital and is considered a record in terms of the low body weight of the patient. An arterial switch requires that the heart of the baby be stopped for a few hours until the repair is done to the defective arteries. It is considered a risky procedure because of the small size of the baby’s heart and the complexity of anesthesia in infants.

3- Iran is a wonderful country to visit

Great doctors and low cost are not the only reasons Iran is a great heart surgery destination. Indeed, when you travel for medical tourism, you want to have a good experience in every aspect; the people you meet, the safety of the country, accommodation costs, convenient transportation, and tourist attractions are all important. Fortunately, Iran does well in all these factors.

Besides, Iran has much to offer to tourists. Great historical and cultural attractions, hospitable people, the diverse culinary delights, and exquisite handicrafts will surely impress medical tourists who want to make the most of their trip to Iran for heart surgery.

Open-heart surgery in Iran

Heart surgery or cardiac surgery is any surgical procedure aimed at correcting heart disease, including problems in the heart valves, arteries, blood flow, etc. Although new technologies help surgeons operate on patients’ hearts without cutting the chest open in some cases, many hearts problems still require opening the chest for corrections. This type of cardiac surgery is commonly known as open-heart surgery or traditional heart surgery.

Open heart surgery is a widely performed operation in Iran. Each year, 30,000 to 40,000 open-heart surgeries are performed in Iran. Almost all types of open heart surgery are performed in Iran, including but not limited to the following:

• Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
• Heart valve repair and heart valve replacement
• Mitral valve stenosis repair
• Aortic aneurysm
• Arrhythmia correction
• Heart transplant

How is open heart surgery performed?

Open-heart surgery is carried out under general anesthesia, which means that you will be put to sleep so that not to feel anything while the operation is being performed. After the anesthetist administers the anesthetic drugs and they take effect, the surgeon cut your chest open to access the heart and operate on it.

Depending on the type of surgery, a heart-lung machine may be used to take over the function of the heart and lungs while the surgery is being done. Also known as pump-oxygenator or cardiopulmonary bypass machine, this device is usually used for heart bypass surgery to maintain the blood circulation of the body because the heart needs to be temporarily stopped during the operation.

• Pain control
• Stable vital signs
• Stable weight
• Drains, lines, and catheters

What to expect after open heart surgery?

After your cardiac surgeon is finished with the operation, he/she closes the incision and stitches it up with sutures. Then he/she places bandages and dressing over the surgical area. When the anesthetic wears off, you will wake up to tubes attached to your chest, which are used to drain excess fluid from the chest area. There might also be intravenous lines in your arm for supplying fluid and painkiller to your body, as well as a thin tube (catheter) for removing urine from your bladder. Some machines also will be attached to your body to monitor your heart.

Typically, you will spend the first night or two in the ICU and then you will be moved to a regular care room for the next days you need to stay in the hospital.

Open-heart surgery recovery

During the first week after surgery, you may feel tired and enervated, but you will regain strength as time passes. Make sure to have some light physical activity, such as taking brief walks daily. Following the instructions of your surgeon is crucial for fast recovery after heart surgery.

A physiotherapist will instruct you about certain things, including how to stand up from a chair or bed. You shouldn’t use your arms to push up your arms, instead, press down your legs to stand up.

Incisional care is the most important aspect of recovery after open heart surgery. Most instructions given by your doctor are intended for proper healing of the chest incision and the breastbone. He/she may ask you to refrain from driving, and lifting, pushing or pulling anything heavier than 5 kilos.

Your incision should be kept dry and warm and you should wash your hands before touching it to prevent infection. You can take a shower if there is no drainage from the incision and it is healing properly. The shower should be brief and with warm (not hot) water. You need to check on the incision regularly to make sure there are no signs of infection, which include redness or warmth around the incision, increased oozing and drainage, opening, and fever.

Pain management after open heart surgery also is of great importance. Muscle pain, throat pain, pain from chest tubes and at the incisional sites are normal after open-heart surgery. Your doctor will prescribe you a course of pain medications for your recovery period. Make sure to take painkillers as prescribed by your doctor.

Getting enough rest during the recovery is important for a fast recovery. If you have trouble sleeping due to pain, take the painkillers half an hour before going to bed, refrain from caffeine (especially in the evenings), and use a pillow against your chest to decrease muscle strain.

Finally, taking part in a rehabilitation program can help you to have a better recovery. These programs often include stress and depression management, exercising, and reducing risk factors. They are typically done on an outpatient basis and require several visits a week.

What are the risks and complications of open heart surgery?

There are potential risks in open heart surgery. They include:

• Wound infection, which is more common in obese and diabetic patients and those with previous heart bypass surgery
• Lung or kidney failure
• Heart attack or stroke
• Irregular heartbeat
• Blood clot
• Pneumonia
• Blood loss
• Fuzziness

Minimally-invasive heart surgery in Iran

Minimally-invasive cardiac surgery or MICS is increasingly gaining ground in Iran. This procedure is performed through small incisions made in the right side of the chest between the ribs, and unlike open-heart surgery, it doesn’t require making a large incision. The advantages of minimally-invasive heart surgery over open-heart surgery are:

• Shorter recovery and faster healing
• Less pain and discomfort after surgery
• Less visible scar after surgery
• Lower chance of infection
• Possible for patients who are not considered good candidates for open heart surgery due to age or health issues

However, minimally-invasive cardiac surgery might not be a good option for all patients or all problems. The following procedures can be performed using the minimally-invasive technique:

• Heart valve surgery (repair or replacement)
• Aortic valve surgery
• Atrial septal defect (ASD) surgery
• Atrioventricular canal defect (also known as atrioventricular septal defect) surgery
• Artery coronary bypass surgery (CABG) (including “off-pump” bypass surgery, which is performed without stopping the heart and use of cardiopulmonary bypass machine)
• Saphenous vein harvest (removing a vein from your leg) for coronary bypass surgery
• Tricuspid valve surgery
• Maze heart surgery to treat atrial fibrillation

A practical point for your care

Before an operation, the pre-assessment team should review your health, previous tests and all medicines and supplements. Ask for written instructions on medicines, eating, drinking and aftercare that apply to your planned procedure.^[1]

Planning treatment in Shiraz

Ask SanaMedTour about the appropriate specialty, appointment arrangements and practical support for your visit. The treating clinician confirms the diagnosis, treatment options, suitability and follow-up after assessment.

Request an itemised written quote identifying the clinician, facility, tests, treatment, medicines, reviews and any accommodation or transfers included.

Sources

Editorial adaptation: 25 October 2026. General information for planning and discussion; your clinician’s individual instructions take priority.