Assoc. Prof. M.D. Aslihan Demirel

My 82-year-old father was admitted with what seemed like pneumonia, but his condition deteriorated rapidly despite standard antibiotics. Dr. Demirel was called in as a consultant. She spent an hour reviewing his charts, asking about a recent gardening project he'd mentioned to a nurse. She suspected a rare fungal infection from contaminated soil. She ordered specific tests that confirmed her hypothesis—pulmonary aspergillosis. She personally explained the complex antifungal regimen to us, drawing diagrams of the treatment timeline. Her vigilance saved his life; other doctors missed it entirely. She visited him every morning at 7:30 AM without fail, even on weekends, adjusting doses based on his kidney function. We call her 'the detective doctor.'

Our 4-year-old daughter returned from a family trip to Southeast Asia with a high fever and a mysterious rash. Our pediatrician was stumped. Dr. Demirel at Acibadem saw her immediately. She didn't just examine our daughter; she got down on the floor with her, using a teddy bear to show where she would gently press. She asked incredibly specific questions about the exact beaches we visited and if our daughter played with any monkeys. She diagnosed Chickungunya virus, a mosquito-borne illness uncommon here. Her calm demeanor soothed our panic. She created a colorful 'virus-fighting plan' chart for our daughter with stickers. Follow-ups were thorough, monitoring for joint pain. She turned a terrifying experience into a manageable one with incredible compassion.

I'm a travel journalist and contracted what local hospitals in three countries dismissed as 'severe food poisoning.' By the time I got to Istanbul, I was delirious with dehydration. This was no routine checkup—it was an emergency admission. Dr. Demirel identified my case as a textbook, yet often overlooked, presentation of typhoid fever. She explained the nuances of antibiotic resistance patterns in South Asia versus my specific strain. Her approach was like a strategic military campaign against the infection. She managed complications with my liver enzymes meticulously. What impressed me most was her 3 AM call to the lab to expedite a sensitivity test. She combines the urgency of an ER physician with the meticulousness of a researcher. I owe her my career and my life.

After a complex abdominal surgery abroad, I developed a persistent, draining wound infection that wouldn't heal for months. Antibiotics only provided temporary relief. I saw Dr. Demirel for what I thought would be a simple follow-up for a new prescription. Instead, she ordered a CT fistulogram and discovered a hidden surgical sponge fragment—the nidus of the chronic infection. She coordinated with a surgeon for its removal and then designed a targeted, long-term antibiotic protocol based on deep tissue cultures. Her care wasn't a single prescription; it was a masterfully orchestrated six-month plan with precise follow-up visits and lab checkpoints. She treated the root cause, not just the symptoms. Her expertise in post-surgical complications is unparalleled. The relief is indescribable.