International Patients

Who May Benefit

International consultation may be appropriate if you:

• Require kidney transplantation, including ABO-incompatible transplantation, and are travelling with a living donor
• Need robotic surgery for prostate, kidney or bladder cancer that is unavailable or subject to long waits where you live
• Have complex stone disease requiring specialist endourological treatment
• Want an independent opinion before deciding whether to travel at all
• Are from a country with limited access to robotic or transplant services
• Are an Indian citizen living abroad seeking treatment closer to family support

Important Legal Note on Transplantation

Kidney transplantation in India is governed by the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act. For foreign nationals, donation is permitted only from a genetically or legally related donor, and requires documentary proof of relationship together with authorisation from the competent authority, including clearance from the embassy or high commission of your country. Commercial donation is illegal and is never facilitated. These requirements are not negotiable, and they should be understood clearly before any travel is planned.

How the Pathway Works

1. Remote Review

You submit records and imaging through the appointment form. These are reviewed and you receive an opinion on whether the proposed treatment is appropriate, what alternatives exist, and — stated honestly — whether travelling is worthwhile in your case.

2. Video Consultation

A scheduled video consultation to discuss the findings directly, ask questions, and agree a plan. For transplant cases, the prospective donor is usually included.

3. Planning Before Departure

An indicative treatment plan, expected length of stay, and the investigations that will need repeating on arrival. The hospital’s international patient services team assists with visa documentation, accommodation and airport transfer. For transplantation, the legal authorisation process is initiated at this stage and must be completed before surgery can proceed.

4. On Arrival

Confirmatory investigations, in-person consultation and pre-anaesthetic assessment. Interpreter support is available for major languages through the hospital.

5. Treatment and Recovery

Surgery and inpatient care, followed by a period of local recovery before you are cleared to fly. Length of stay varies by procedure — typically around two weeks after robotic cancer surgery and considerably longer after transplantation, where several weeks of monitoring are needed.

6. Return Home

You receive a complete discharge summary, operative notes, pathology and imaging, together with a medication plan and follow-up schedule written for your doctors at home. Remote follow-up consultations can be arranged.

What to Send Before You Travel

A remote review is carried out before travel is recommended, so that you do not make a long journey unnecessarily. Please provide:

• Imaging in DICOM format — CT, MRI, PET-CT or ultrasound, uploaded as files rather than photographs of films
• Pathology reports — with grade and stage; slides or blocks may be requested for independent review
• Recent blood results — including creatinine and eGFR, blood counts, and PSA history where relevant
• For transplant candidates — dialysis records, blood group and tissue typing for both recipient and donor, and viral serology
• Cardiac assessment — ECG and echocardiography, since fitness for surgery must be established before travel
• Operative notes — from any previous surgery
• Current medication list with doses
• Passport details and, for transplantation, documentary proof of donor relationship

Reports in languages other than English or Hindi should be accompanied by a translation.

Important Limitations and Considerations

• Remote review has limits. An opinion formed without examination is provisional. The plan may change once you are examined and investigations are repeated on arrival, and you should travel prepared for that possibility.
• Transplant legal requirements are strict and take time. Documentation of donor relationship and authorisation by the competent authority cannot be shortened or bypassed. Applications are sometimes refused. Do not book travel on the assumption that approval is automatic.
• Investigations will usually be repeated. Local protocols and the need for current results mean some tests are redone even if recently performed elsewhere.
• Recovery cannot be rushed for a flight. Flying too early after major abdominal surgery carries a real risk of venous thromboembolism. You must plan to stay until you are cleared to travel, and build contingency into your plans.
• Complications are harder to manage across borders. If a problem develops after you return home, your local team must be able to act on it. This is why full documentation is provided, and why coordination with your referring doctor matters.
• Continuity of follow-up is your responsibility to arrange. Cancer surveillance and transplant monitoring are lifelong. Before treatment, you should know who will provide that care at home.
• Costs, visa rules and hospital administration are handled by the hospital’s international office, not by the clinical team, and are subject to change. Estimates should be confirmed directly with them.

What a Consultation Involves

The first contact for an international patient is usually a video consultation of 30 to 45 minutes, arranged after records have been reviewed:

• Review of the material you sent — done in advance, so the consultation is spent on discussion
• An honest assessment — whether the treatment you are seeking is appropriate, and whether it justifies international travel in your circumstances
• Explanation of options — including whether comparable treatment might be available closer to home
• For transplant candidates — donor suitability, compatibility, and a clear account of the legal process and its timelines
• Practical planning — expected length of stay, what to bring, and what to arrange before departure
• Follow-up planning — what care you will need after returning, and what your local doctors will need from us
• Your questions — and those of any family member joining the call

Please submit records well in advance through the appointment form, noting your country and time zone so that a suitable time can be arranged.