Department of Cardiac Surgery and Vascular Surgery - Memorial Atasehir Hospital Istanbul

About the Department of Cardiac Surgery and Vascular Surgery at Memorial Atasehir Hospital Istanbul

The Department of Cardiac Surgery and Vascular Surgery at the Memorial Atasehir Hospital Istanbul offers all modern surgical interventions for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, with the exception of heart transplantation. The main specialization of the department is coronary artery bypass grafting, correction of valvular heart defects and congenital heart defects in adults. The department's doctors strictly observe the current clinical protocols, so the risks of complications are practically zero. The department is headed by Prof. Dr. med. Azmi Ozler.

It should be noted that the department's medical team cooperates closely with colleagues from leading Heart Surgery Clinics in Europe and the United States, thanks to which the specialists become pioneers in the application of innovative cardiac surgery techniques in Turkey. For example, the department's doctors were the first in the country, who performed an operation for the implantation of endovascular stent to treat lesions of the large branches of the aorta. The department's specialists were also the first in Turkey, who performed radiofrequency ablation for arrhythmia treatment.

The progressive medical and technical base of the department allows cardiac surgeons to perform operations on the beating heart with and without the use of a heart-lung machine, sparing minimally invasive interventions and reconstructive operations on the heart valves. The department's cardiac surgeons annually perform more than 1,000 interventions of varying degrees of complexity, while most of the operations are performed without thoracotomy and formation of an extensive surgical access, which significantly accelerates the postoperative recovery of the patient. 

Most of the operations in the department are coronary artery bypass grafting. The operation is performed to restore the blood supply to the myocardium via formation of blood bypass. A surgical intervention is the most effective and optimal treatment method for severe types of coronary heart disease. The department's doctors perform all modern types of coronary artery bypass grafting – with and without a heart-lung machine (a special stabilizer is used), minimally invasive bypass grafting. In addition, the department performs coronary artery bypass grafting using the innovative AESOP robot-assisted surgical system. The type of intervention is selected for each patient individually, according to his clinical parameters and the severity of coronary heart disease. The operation is performed under general anesthesia and lasts 4-6 hours. A fragment of the patient's femoral vein is usually used as a bypass. Such an approach eliminates the risk of bypass rejection, which can be provoked by the placement of an implant made of artificial materials. After the operation, the patient will be transferred to the Intensive Care Unit, where he will be under constant monitoring of intensive care physicians.

The department also offers excellent therapeutic options for the restoration of heart valve function. Cardiac surgeons perform reconstructive operations and interventions to replace heart valves with an artificial prosthesis. The doctors use biological and mechanical prostheses for total heart valve replacement. The most popular operations in the field of reconstructive cardiac surgery include mitral and tricuspid heart valve reconstruction. As for the heart valve replacement surgery, the doctors most often perform operations on the mitral and aortic valves. The heart valve replacement surgery is performed on an open heart, under general anesthesia. When performing the operation, the surgeon stops the patient's heart and connects it to a heart-lung machine. After replacing the damaged valve, the heart starts again. The duration of heart valve replacement surgery is on average 3 hours.

An important field of ​​the department's clinical activity is vascular surgery. The surgeons of this specialty are focused on the treatment of carotid artery stenosis. The most effective treatment methods for this pathology are carotid artery stenting, carotid endarterectomy, and various types of prosthetics of vascular sections using fragments of the patient's own arteries. The choice of a treatment method is based on the results of the comprehensive diagnostics, with due consideration of concomitant diseases, possible contraindications and other factors.

Another equally important focus of the department's vascular surgeons is on the treatment of varicose veins. If possible, the preference is given to sparing methods – compression therapy, sclerotherapy, laser procedures. However, complex clinical cases require classic open surgery. The department's medical team successfully performs stripping and phlebectomy to treat progressive forms of varicose veins.

The department's range of surgical services includes:

• Cardiac surgery
  • Coronary artery bypass grafting
    • Coronary artery bypass grafting using a heart-lung machine
    • Coronary artery bypass grafting without the use of a heart-lung machine
    • Minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting
  • Heart valve reconstructive surgery
  • Heart valve replacement surgery
  • Revision interventions on the heart valves
  • Surgical repair of congenital heart defects in adults
  • Implantation of pacemakers and defibrillators to treat arrhythmias
• Vascular surgery
  • Surgical treatment of aortic aneurysms
  • Surgical treatment of carotid artery stenosis
  • Surgical treatment of peripheral arterial occlusive disease
  • Surgical treatment of varicose veins
    • Stripping
    • Phlebectomy
• Other therapeutic services