Carotid Endarterectomy Cost in Germany

The cost of carotid endarterectomy in Germany typically ranges from $2,500 to $22,000 USD, depending on the hospital, city, and type of procedure.

Carotid endarterectomy removes fatty plaque from the carotid artery in the neck, which supplies blood to the brain, to reduce the risk of stroke. In Germany, the total depends on:

• Anaesthesia: general or local.
• Patch repair: if needed to close the artery.
• Hospital stay: usually one night.
• Follow-up: scans and medicines.

The NHS explains that the operation is done under general or local anaesthetic. A cut is made in the neck, the plaque is removed and the artery is closed with stitches, sometimes with a patch.

It takes 1 to 2 hours, and most people stay in hospital for one night.

There is a small risk of stroke. Pain, numbness and bruising around the wound are common.

Severe bleeding and wound infection are rare. Nerve damage can cause face numbness or weakness, and the artery can narrow again.

International patients are usually treated in Germany as self-paying patients: the hospital reviews the medical reports, sends a cost estimate and asks for an advance payment before admission, then settles the final bill after discharge.

Inpatient hospital care in Germany is billed under the German DRG system, which depends on the main diagnosis, other diagnoses and the procedures carried out, so the final amount is known only after the stay.

Patients insured in another EU country need an S2 form from their own insurer for planned treatment in Germany, as the EHIC is intended for unplanned care.