Prof. M.D. Alper Özkan

My 8-year-old son, Leo, was diagnosed with a rare congenital heart defect after a school sports physical flagged an irregularity. We were terrified. Dr. Alper Özkan didn't just see a patient; he saw a scared little boy. He used a toy heart model to explain the issue to Leo in a way he could understand, calling the problem a 'tiny road that needs widening.' The minimally invasive catheter procedure he performed was a success. Leo was home in two days, and now he's back to football. Dr. Özkan's combination of world-class skill and genuine compassion for children is something I've never encountered before. He saved my son's childhood.

As a 72-year-old with a history of hypertension, I considered my annual check-up a formality. Dr. Özkan, however, listened to my heart with a stethoscope for what felt like an unusually long time. He detected a faint, new murmur I hadn't noticed. His suspicion led to an echocardiogram that revealed a developing aortic stenosis, caught in its very early stages. He mapped out a clear, conservative monitoring plan, avoiding immediate invasive action. His meticulous attention during a routine visit potentially prevented a future crisis. He doesn't just treat problems; he hunts for whispers of them before they can shout.

It was 11 PM on a Tuesday when I felt a crushing pressure in my chest. Rushed to Acibadem Altunizade's ER, I was met by Dr. Özkan, who was on call. The calm, rapid efficiency with which he directed the team was astounding. He diagnosed a significant coronary artery blockage within minutes. What struck me wasn't just the emergency angioplasty—which was flawless—but how he spoke to my panicked wife. Between clinical commands, he'd look her in the eye and say, 'We have him. He's stable.' He managed the organ and the human emotion surrounding it with equal mastery. This man is a conductor in the orchestra of crisis.

My case was a puzzle: persistent fatigue, strange episodes of dizziness, but normal standard tests. Other cardiologists shrugged. Dr. Özkan, reviewing my file, was intrigued, not dismissive. He ordered a specific, advanced electrophysiology study I'd never heard of. It revealed a subtle, intermittent arrhythmia originating from an unusual site in my heart. He then performed a complex, targeted ablation with robotic assistance. The procedure was like finding and fixing a single faulty wire in a vast circuit board. For years, I felt I was imagining things. Dr. Özkan was the detective who found the evidence. He treats the mysteries other doctors leave unsolved.