Cardiac bypass surgery in India: costs, hospitals and what to expect
CABG at India's high-volume cardiac centres — what the package covers, the clearance you need before flying, and why this is the least suitable procedure for a rushed decision.
India's leading cardiac centres perform coronary artery bypass grafting at volumes among the highest in the world, with published mortality figures that stand comparison with European units. A CABG package including ICU is typically £8,600 to £12,000 against £20,000 to £28,000 privately in the UK.
This is the procedure where the case for travelling is strongest on price and weakest on everything else. Bypass surgery is not elective in the way a hair transplant is. If your cardiologist has recommended it, the safest option is usually the fastest one available to you, and in the UK that may well be the NHS.
What you will actually pay
Compared against private rates in the UK, Western Europe and the Gulf. Most of our readers travel from one of those three, so measure the saving against your own market rather than ours.
| Procedure | India | UK private | Europe | Gulf | You save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CABG (package, incl. ICU) | £9,800 | £24,000 | £21,000 | £17,500 | 59% |
| Valve repair or replacement | £11,400 | £26,000 | £22,500 | £19,000 | 56% |
| Additional ICU day | £420 | £2,200 | — | — | 81% |
| Return flights (LHR, patient + companion) | £1,240 | — | — | — | — |
What the quote includes — and what it does not
- Surgeon, anaesthetist, perfusionist and theatre
- ICU stay, typically 2–3 days
- Total inpatient stay of 7–10 days
- Pre-operative angiography review and workup
- Cardiac rehabilitation while an inpatient
- Interpreter and international patient coordinator
- ✕Extended ICU stay if recovery is complicated
- ✕The three-week hotel and companion stay after discharge
- ✕Cardiac rehabilitation at home, which materially affects outcome
- ✕Ongoing cardiology follow-up and medication
- ✕Repatriation if you become unfit to fly commercially
Your trip, day by day
Before travel
Cardiology clearance to fly, angiography images shared with the receiving team, and written confirmation the surgery is appropriate. Do not travel without this.
Days 1–3
Admission, repeat workup, anaesthetic and surgical review.
Day 4
Surgery, typically three to five hours.
Days 5–7
ICU, then step-down. Early mobilisation begins quickly.
Days 8–14
Ward recovery, inpatient cardiac rehabilitation, wound and sternum care.
Days 15–26
Hotel stay with outpatient review. Sternal healing takes six to eight weeks; flying before clearance is not advisable.
What to weigh before you book
We would advise most UK patients to weigh this one carefully rather than optimise for price. If bypass has been recommended, delay carries clinical risk, and assembling an overseas trip takes weeks. Where NHS treatment is available on a comparable timescale, that is usually the better choice, and this page exists to inform the comparison rather than to encourage the trip.
If you do travel, the non-negotiable is written cardiology clearance to fly, both ways. A long-haul flight with unstable angina is dangerous. Equally, flying home before the sternum has healed and before rhythm has stabilised carries real risk, and the clearance for the return leg matters as much as the outbound.
How to choose between clinics
Ask for the unit's annual CABG volume and risk-adjusted mortality — high-volume Indian centres publish these openly. Confirm the surgeon's own case volume, whether the procedure is on-pump or off-pump and why, and what the escalation pathway is if you need prolonged ICU. Confirm your travel insurance covers repatriation.
Frequently asked questions
Should I travel abroad for bypass surgery at all?
Often not. If your cardiologist has recommended CABG, the clinical priority is timeliness. Compare the realistic NHS date against the time needed to organise a trip. Travel makes most sense when the alternative is a long wait or high UK private cost and your condition is stable.
Do I need a companion?
Yes, without qualification. You will spend time in ICU, be immobile initially, and need someone to manage logistics and communicate with the team. Budget for their flights and a month of accommodation.
When can I fly home?
Typically three to four weeks, subject to sternal healing, stable rhythm and a formal fitness-to-fly assessment. Some patients need longer. Book a flexible return.
What follow-up will I need in the UK?
Cardiology follow-up, medication management and a structured cardiac rehabilitation programme. Speak to your GP and cardiologist before travelling so a pathway exists on your return.
Will travel insurance cover this?
Standard policies exclude planned surgery. You need a specific medical travel policy covering complications and — critically — medical repatriation, which can cost tens of thousands if you become unfit to fly commercially.
Compare quotes for cardiac bypass in India
One enquiry, responses from up to three accredited hospitals. No cost, no obligation, and we never charge patients.
- Price from£8,600–£12,000
- UK private£20,000–£28,000
- Saving vs UK58%
- Trip lengthSingle visit, 21–28 days
We publish prices we have verified and state what they exclude. We may earn a referral fee, which never changes what we write.