Department of Adult and Pediatric Neurosurgery - Memorial Sisli Hospital Istanbul

About the Department of Adult and Pediatric Neurosurgery at Memorial Sisli Hospital Istanbul

The Department of Adult and Pediatric Neurosurgery at the Memorial Sisli Hospital Istanbul offers the full range of surgical treatment for diseases of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. A neurosurgical intervention is preceded by the diagnostics using state-of-the-art equipment, including CT and MRI scans, angiography and other diagnostic tests. Surgical interventions are performed in operating rooms equipped with the latest technology. The neurosurgeons successfully use advanced systems of neuronavigation, neuromonitoring, CUSA ultrasound surgery device, O-Arm intraoperative CT, radiosurgical systems for stereotactic interventions and many other innovations. This allows the doctors to perform intervention with maximum safety and to exclude damage to vital structures of the brain and spinal cord. The department employs specialists with excellent qualifications and vast clinical experience, which they have gained in the best medical facilities in Turkey, Europe and the United States. The Chief Physician of the department Prof. Dr. med. Nezih Ozkan.

One of the most frequent pathologies in the department's clinical practice are brain and spinal cord tumors. Both adults and children can undergo treatment of malignancies of the nervous system here. The treatment regimen for each patient is developed individually, with the involvement of specialists from related disciplines – oncologists, radiologists, neuroradiologists, etc. As a rule, the main stages of treatment are surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. In addition, in most cases, the neurosurgeon carries out preliminary planning of the operation using data from CT, MRI, PET scans and other imaging tests. Particular attention is paid to the assessment of the brain activity, vascular changes, as well as determination of the exact location of the tumor, its size, invasion into the surrounding tissues, metastases to other organs and anatomical structures. In the course of surgical treatment, the surgeons use state-of-the-art neuronavigation systems, neuromonitoring and other techniques, which allow them to perform each manipulation with pinpoint accuracy, excluding damage to vital regions of the brain and spinal cord. In addition, the department uses stereotactic radiosurgery to treat brain tumors. It is a non-surgical method of radiation therapy. The main advantage of the technique is high precision delivery of higher doses of radiation as compared to classical radiation therapy, which helps more effectively destroy the tumor without damaging the healthy surrounding tissues.

The treatment of spinal injuries and diseases is also of particular interest to the department's specialists. The department's neurosurgeons successfully perform operations to treat spinal stenosis, myelocele and congenital spinal anomalies. Spinal surgery is performed using microsurgical and endoscopic techniques, which significantly reduce the period of postoperative recovery, and also avoids severe pain after surgery. In addition, the department carries out modern interventional procedures for the treatment of chronic back pain.

A specially trained team of neurosurgeons takes care of the health of the nervous system of young patients. They have vast experience in the treatment of congenital and acquired diseases in children. The doctors most often admit children with brain and spinal cord cancers, vascular malformations of the brain, hydrocephalus and spina bifida. The treatment complies with clinical protocols and requirements of the professional societies for pediatric neurosurgery.

The department's main clinical focuses include:

• Surgical treatment of brain and spinal cord tumors
• Surgical treatment of spinal diseases
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Spinal injury
  • Myelocele
• Surgical treatment of cerebrovascular diseases
  • Cerebral aneurysms
  • Arteriovenous malformations
  • Carotid stenosis
  • Intracerebral hemorrhage
  • Cerebrovascular occlusions
• Surgical treatment of traumatic brain injuries
• Surgical treatment of functional diseases of the nervous system
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Spasticity
  • Tremor
• Surgical treatment of diseases of the nervous system in children
  • Brain and spinal cord tumors
  • Cerebrovascular disorders
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Spina bifida
• Other surgical options