Surgeon in Latviagetting to surgery, what it costs, where to check the queues
- Certification check: State register of medical practitioners
- Professional body: Latvian Association of Surgeons
- Noticed outdated info? Report it
A surgeon discusses test results, a possible operation and recovery afterwards. A remote consultation helps you understand the next step before an in-person visit.
The consultation happens over video, so it works the same in Riga, Daugavpils, Liepaja, Jelgava, Jurmala, Ventspils and Rezekne.
No verified doctor in this area yet
We check every certificate by hand, so the list grows step by step. Choose another area or start with a family doctor.
Other Surgeon doctors in Latvia
These doctors have not confirmed their profile yet, so they cannot be booked for now.
- Anatolijs Ahmetovs
- Diāna Aigare-Rude
- Natālija Aizena
- Dmitrijs Aleksandrovs
- Artūrs Aleksis
- Guntis Ancāns
Known surgeons in Latvia
No names are listed for this specialty yet
We are adding them gradually. Doctors you can book are shown at the top of this page.
When to call 113 instead of booking
- Severe, sudden abdominal pain, especially with vomiting and fever.
- A hard, painful abdomen that cannot be touched.
- A hernia that has become hard and painful and no longer pushes back in.
- Bleeding that will not stop, or blood in vomit or stool.
- Rapidly spreading redness, swelling and pain together with fever.
- A wound opening or purulent discharge after surgery, with fever.
- Fainting, pallor and cold sweat together with abdominal pain.
- Injury with a deep wound or suspected internal bleeding.
A hard, painful hernia that can no longer be pushed back is an emergency, not a reason to wait for planned surgery.
What a surgeon treats
A general surgeon diagnoses and treats conditions where surgery may be the answer.
- Abdominal wall and inguinal hernias
- Gallbladder disease and stones
- Appendicitis and other acute abdominal conditions
- Skin and subcutaneous lumps, sebaceous cysts, lipomas
- Haemorrhoids and other proctological problems
- Wounds, abscesses and infections
- Thyroid and breast surgery at some providers
- Post-operative care and management of complications
Surgeons frequently conclude that surgery is not needed. The consultation is an assessment step, not an automatic ticket to the operating theatre.
The route to state-funded surgery
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Referral | A state-funded service requires a family doctor referral to a specialist such as a surgeon or trauma doctor |
| 2. Consultation | The specialist assesses the condition and sets the operation date |
| 3. Anaesthetist review | The patient sees an anaesthetist, who assesses allergies, chronic conditions and current medicines and selects the anaesthesia |
| 4. Waiting list | Patients are placed on waiting lists for planned services |
| 5. Surgery | Performed on the agreed date, as an outpatient, in a day hospital or as an inpatient |
The National Health Service publishes inpatient service waiting lists. It notes that providers compile and submit this data once a month, so the most current position must be checked with the provider's reception.
Some operations carry extra conditions. State-funded disc herniation surgery, for example, requires a decision by a spinal surgery panel, and applications are made on referral from a family doctor, neurosurgeon, trauma and orthopaedic surgeon or spine specialist.
Glossary
- Planned surgery
- a scheduled operation for which patients join a waiting list.
- Day hospital
- a setting where surgery is performed and the patient goes home the same day.
- Minimally invasive surgery
- surgery through small incisions, after which the stay may be only a few hours.
- Panel decision
- a multi-doctor review that is a precondition for state funding of certain operations.
- Mesh
- the implant used in hernia repair, which in private surgery is often not included in the quoted price.
- Histology
- examination of removed tissue, charged separately.
- Joint replacement
- arthroplasty, which has its own waiting list.
- Operation co-payment
- the set amount a provider may charge per admission to the operating theatre.
How someone becomes a surgeon in Latvia
- Six years of medical study and a doctor's degree, at RSU or the University of Latvia.
- Residency in surgery. Programme page: RSU residency programme.
- After the base specialty, further specialisation is possible in vascular, thoracic, plastic or paediatric surgery among others, each with its own association.
- The certificate is valid for 5 years. The Latvian Association of Surgeons states that recertification requires 250 continuing education points, at least 60 per cent tied to the base specialty, plus a 48.38 EUR fee.
- Entry in the practitioners register must be renewed every 5 years.
How to verify this doctor's certificate
- 1Open registri.vi.gov.lv/rap.
- 2Enter the surname or practitioner identifier in the search box.
- 3Confirm the listed specialty reads "Ķirurgs" or the relevant surgical sub-specialty.
- 4Check the certificate validity date.
- 5If a specific operation is planned, ask how often the surgeon performs it and where.
Where this specialist practises, by city
Rīga
- Rīga East University Hospital
which also publishes its operation price list.
- Veselības centru apvienība
which states that more than 40 surgeons across different specialisations see patients at its polyclinics, and that surgery can be performed by the same specialist who carried out the pre-operative assessment. A wider range of operations is provided at the "Aiwa Clinic".
- Rīgas 1. slimnīca
In the regions
Planned surgery is also performed at regional hospitals, where waiting times can be shorter than in Rīga. Queue lengths can be compared by provider on the National Health Service page.
How to choose
- Queue length. The National Health Service table shows how queues differ between providers, so travelling to a region is sometimes faster than waiting in Rīga.
- One surgeon throughout. At some providers the same surgeon handles consultation, operation and follow-up.
- Day surgery. For minimally invasive operations the stay can be just a few hours.
- Children. Some providers require no referral for a paediatric surgery consultation.
- Total cost. If the operation is private, ask what the quoted price excludes.
What a visit looks like
- The surgeon assesses symptoms, examines you and orders tests or imaging as needed.
- If surgery is needed, a date is set and the preparation explained.
- Before surgery there is an anaesthetist review covering allergies, chronic conditions and current medicines.
- Bring a full list of medicines, especially blood thinners, since they affect surgical planning.
- Discuss recovery time and how long you are likely to need sick leave.
Cost
In the public system an operation performed as an outpatient or in a day hospital costs 4.00 EUR, while for major operations a provider may charge a 31.00 EUR co-payment per admission to the operating theatre. A further 10.00 EUR per day applies for each inpatient bed day.
- Operation as outpatient or in day hospitalPrice EUR: 4.00Source: NVD
- Co-payment for a major operationPrice EUR: 31.00Source: NVD, Cabinet Regulation No. 555
- Inpatient care, per bed dayPrice EUR: 10.00Source: NVD
- Private surgical consultationPrice EUR: from 40.00Source: VCA
- Administration surcharge for operated day hospital patientsPrice EUR: 5.00Source: Rīgas 1. slimnīca
An important point about private surgery: Rīga East University Hospital states that the operation price does not include bed days, anaesthesia, histology, consumables such as meshes, staplers and implants, or the use of high-technology instruments. The figure in a price list is therefore not the final figure, and it is worth establishing the total in advance.
Professional association and oversight
The specialty body is the association "Latvijas Ķirurgu asociācija", registration number 40008004246, board office manager Anna Marija Leščinska, kirurgija.lv.
Individual surgical fields have their own organisations: the Latvian Society of Vascular Surgeons, the Latvian Association of Paediatric Surgeons, the Latvian Society of Spine Surgeons, the Latvian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the Latvian Society of Neurosurgeons, the Latvian Association of Plastic Surgeons, the Latvian Association of Cardiac Surgeons and the Latvian Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
Certificates are issued by the Certification Council of the Latvian Medical Association. The sector regulator is the Health Inspectorate.
Patient rights and complaints
If you have doubts about the quality of care, raise them first with the provider's management. If that does not resolve it, a written submission goes to the Health Inspectorate no later than two years after the alleged infringement, and is reviewed within 30 days, extendable to four months in complex cases. The procedure is set out on the Health Inspectorate site.
FAQ
Do I need a referral to see a surgeon?
A family doctor referral is needed for a state-funded service. Some providers require no referral for a paediatric surgery consultation.
What does surgery cost in the public system?
4.00 EUR as an outpatient or in a day hospital, up to a 31.00 EUR co-payment for major operations, plus 10.00 EUR for each inpatient day.
Where do I check the waiting list?
The National Health Service publishes inpatient waiting lists by provider, and the provider's reception has the most current position.
Why is the final private bill higher than the price list?
The operation price usually excludes anaesthesia, bed days, histology and consumables such as meshes and implants.
Does a consultation mean I will be operated on?
No. The surgeon may conclude that surgery is not needed and recommend other treatment.
This page was reviewed by Sergejs Ponomarjovs, from the E-Medicīna team. More about us.
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Last reviewed: 8 August 2026
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