Medical tourism: 5 surgeries worth a trip

The solution to a faulty heart or bad back may be to skip town. According to the Medical Tourism Association, a trade organization for companies that offer medical services abroad based in West Palm Beach, Fla., about 800,000 patients leave U.S. borders each year for medical procedures.

Patients save 40 percent to 60 percent on their procedure, the association says. But the practice brings up safety, health insurance and medical malpractice concerns, requiring patients to research the credentials of their doctor and medical facility before jetting off. Here's a breakdown of countries that specialize in the top five medical tourism procedures.