Prof. M.D. Alpay Turan Sezgin

My 8-year-old son, Kerem, was born with a complex congenital heart defect that multiple doctors called 'inoperable.' We had lost all hope until we found Dr. Alpay Turan Sezgin at Acibadem Adana. He didn't just see a complicated case; he saw a little boy who loved football. Using a pioneering hybrid approach he designed, combining catheterization with minimally invasive surgery, he repaired what others said couldn't be fixed. The care was meticulous—he even drew diagrams for Kerem with cartoon hearts. Six months post-op, Kerem played in his first school match. Dr. Sezgin gave us more than a procedure; he gave our son a childhood.

As a 72-year-old retired teacher with a history of hypertension, I considered my annual check-up a formality. Dr. Sezgin, however, listened to my vague complaint about 'occasional fluttering' with intense focus. He insisted on a detailed electrophysiology study, against my protests that it was just old age. He discovered and successfully ablated a dangerous, asymptomatic atrial flutter focus that could have caused a major stroke. His approach wasn't rushed; he explained the electrical pathways of my heart as if teaching a masterclass. He didn't just treat a patient; he educated a person, potentially saving my life with his relentless curiosity during a routine visit.

I was a tourist from Germany, cycling near Adana when a crushing chest pain struck. Rushed to Acibadem Adana's ER, I was terrified, alone, and unable to speak Turkish. Dr. Sezgin was on call. He diagnosed a severe LAD artery blockage (the 'widow-maker') within minutes. He calmed me in fluent German, explaining the urgent need for a primary PCI. In the cath lab, his technique was breathtakingly precise; he placed a stent under challenging conditions with zero complications. His post-op follow-up was daily, even coordinating my repatriation. He turned a potential tragedy abroad into a story of miraculous, compassionate, and hyper-efficient emergency care.

For years, I managed my heart failure with medication, but my quality of life was declining. Dr. Sezgin proposed a complex surgery to implant a CRT-D device and perform a concomitant mitral valve repair—a daunting prospect. What set him apart was the 'war room' preparation. A week before surgery, he gathered the anesthesiologist, electrophysiology nurse, and perfusionist with me present, walking through every contingency using a 3D model of my heart. The surgery was long but flawless. At my one-year follow-up, my ejection fraction had improved dramatically. Dr. Sezgin's mastery lies in his orchestration of a team and his belief that a patient is part of that team, not just a subject.