Alomst one in five medical tourists have encountered problems after going abroad for treatment, a consumer watchdog says today.

Alomst one in five medical tourists have encountered problems after going abroad for treatment, a consumer watchdog says today.

Of around 300 UK residents who went overseas for treatment, 18% ran into difficulties, according to Which?.

One patient had a tummy tuck which turned septic, while another underwent liposuction that led to her stomach leaking cellulite.

Although 57% of those surveyed said they were very satisfied with treatment, 8% had to turn to the NHS for emergency aid following overseas surgery. More than a quarter of people surveyed did not feel they had received the follow-up care they required.

The investigation also involved a Which? researcher posing as a patient to telephone companies that offer medical treatment abroad.

One company said a knee replacement was not a risky procedure, and he would not need to see anyone medically qualified when he returned home.

But, according to the watchdog, this advice was untrue as half of such patients need physiotherapy and all cases need to be reviewed.

The investigation comes at a time when increasing numbers of Britons are opting for medical tourism, attracted by potential savings and lack of waiting lists. Around 80,000 people went abroad for surgery in 2006, according to a Civil Aviation Authority survey last year.

Which? says a tummy tuck costing £4000 in the UK could be half that in Poland, while a £2200 dental implant can cost as little as £750 in Hungary.

The watchdog encouraged would-be medical tourists to plan with potential problems in mind.

Neil Fowler, editor of Which?, said: "Medical tourists must do their homework before jumping on the plane. Ask the right questions beforehand, speak to UK health professionals, and don't assume you'll have a safety net if things don't go according to plan."

The report was backed up by Ken Stewart, a consultant plastic surgeon, who said the issue had become a "major concern" for the industry.

Mr Stewart said he had dealt with overseas complications, both at St John's NHS hospital in Livingston and in private practice at Murrayfield Hospital in Edinburgh.

"Every month we treat a number of patients who have had surgery abroad and come back with complications. It's a steady trend and a major concern," he said.

"Surgery abroad is much more difficult. Whenever patients have surgery in UK hospitals it is recommended they stay around until they are well enough to leave. With surgery in a foreign country, two days later they could be travelling home. And air travel immediately after surgery is not a good idea."