Obesity diagnosis and consultation in Memorial Bahcelievler Hospital Istanbul

About the department

The Department of General, Endocrine and Bariatric Surgery at the Memorial Bahсelievler Hospital Istanbul offers the full range of operations to treat surgical diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and abdominal cavity, diseases of the rectum, anus and colon, as well as pathologies of the endocrine organs. In addition, the department specializes in the surgical treatment of morbid obesity. The team of bariatric surgeons successfully performs the most effective weight loss surgeries – gastric bypass surgery and sleeve gastrectomy. The key focus in clinical practice is on the surgical treatment of malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract, colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel diseases. The surgical interventions are performed in progressive operating rooms equipped with state-of-the-art medical technologies, which guarantee the patient the most sparing treatment in compliance with all hygiene and safety standards. The department's surgeons are distinguished by rich clinical experience and exceptional qualifications. They regularly undergo internships in the best medical facilities in Europe and the United States, thanks to which they brilliantly perform operations of any complexity. The department is headed by Prof. Dr. med. Ediz Altınlı.

The specialists in general surgery admit patients with benign and malignant tumors of the stomach, small, large intestine and rectum, esophagus, liver, pancreas, biliary tract, etc. The department also deals with the treatment of proctologic diseases. The most common pathologies in this field include hemorrhoids, constipation, anal fissures, perianal abscesses and fistulas, fecal incontinence, colorectal cancer, as well as anal and perianal genital warts. It should be noted that the progressive medical and technical base of the medical facility allows the doctors to perform most surgical interventions laparoscopically, through incisions of 0.5-1 cm long. In contrast to classical open surgery, which requires large incisions of the anterior abdominal wall, laparoscopic interventions have a number of undeniable advantages. In particular, these are the absence of severe pain after surgery, which reduces the need for taking painkillers, the absence of large postoperative scars, a short period of hospitalization, and a low risk of postoperative complications, including infection. The patient does not need long-term recovery, and he can return to his usual life soon after the operation.

Endocrine surgery is also one of the priority focuses of the clinical practice of the medical facility. The team of endocrine surgeons specializes in surgery to treat pathologies of the endocrine glands, such as benign thyroid tumors, thyroid cancer, nodular goiter, toxic goiter, diseases of the parathyroid glands, adrenal glands. When performing surgical interventions on the thyroid and parathyroid glands, the surgeons use special techniques in order to prevent haemorrhage and damage to the vocal cords, which can provoke loss of voice.

The range of the department's surgical services is complemented by bariatric surgery, which are performed in order to rapidly reduce body weight in patients suffering from morbid obesity. Bariatric intervention is considered when diet and exercise are ineffective. The body weight surgery is indicated for patients with a body mass index above 35-40. Prior to the operation, a patient with morbid obesity undergoes comprehensive diagnostics so the doctor has a complete picture of his health, in particular the state of the cardiovascular system. The bariatric interventions are also performed using laparoscopic techniques. The surgical treatment of obesity allows a person not only to lose weight, but also to reduce the risk of developing life-threatening pathologies, for example, arterial hypertension, stroke, myocardial infarction, colon cancer, type 2 diabetes mellitus, as well as gynecologic and urologic diseases. The department's clinical practice involves the successful use of well-proven surgical procedures to treat obesity – gastric bypass surgery and sleeve gastrectomy. However, surgery alone is not enough for a successful result. After the surgical treatment, the whole team of professionals works with the patient, including endocrinologists, nutritionists, psychologists, psychiatrists and physiotherapists. They cooperatively develop the further obesity treatment regimen for each patient on an individual basis. This includes the correction of diet and the formation of correct eating habits, the selection of a set of physical exercises taking into account the individual features and physical abilities of the patient, psychological support on the way to achieving a healthy weight.

The department's main clinical focuses include:

• General surgery
  • Surgical treatment of esophageal, stomach, small and large intestine diseases (special focus on cancer treatment)
  • Surgical treatment of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease)
  • Surgical treatment of liver, pancreatic, gallbladder and biliary tract diseases
  • Surgical treatment of small intestine, colon and rectal diseases (special focus on colorectal cancer treatment)
  • Hernia repair surgery (anterior abdominal wall hernias, inguinal hernias and incisional hernias)
  • Surgical treatment of anorectal diseases (hemorrhoids, constipation, anal fissures, perianal abscess, perianal fistula, perianal condylomas, fecal incontinence, etc.)
• Endocrine surgery
  • Surgical treatment of benign and malignant tumors of the thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, adrenal glands and pancreas
  • Surgical treatment of nodular and toxic goiter
  • Surgical treatment of autoimmune thyroid diseases
• Bariatric surgery
  • Gastric bypass surery
  • Sleeve gastrectomy
• Other surgical services