Op. MD. Emrah Koksal

Our 78-year-old father, a retired ship captain, developed an incarcerated umbilical hernia that his GP said was inoperable due to his age and mild COPD. We were terrified. Dr. Emrah Koksal didn't see an elderly man with risks; he saw a person who deserved his golden years without pain. He explained the laparoscopic repair in such simple terms, drawing diagrams on his tablet. The surgery was flawless, three tiny incisions. Dad was walking the hospital corridor that evening, joking with the nurses. At our 3-month follow-up, Dr. Koksal spent 20 minutes just listening to Dad's sea stories. He didn't just fix a hernia; he restored dignity.

Our 3-day-old newborn, Elif, was diagnosed with esophageal atresia in the NICU. The world collapsed. Dr. Koksal met us at 11 PM, still in his scrubs from another surgery. He didn't give us statistics; he gave us hope with calm, factual clarity. He performed the thoracoscopic repair when Elif was just 5 days old, her chest no bigger than his palm. For 12 days post-op, he visited her incubator twice daily, often before sunrise, adjusting her care millimeter by millimeter. He taught us how to handle her feeding tube with a teddy bear as a practice model. Today, Elif is 6 months old, thriving, and her only scar is a faint line hidden in a skin fold. He is our miracle worker.

My 14-year-old son, a competitive swimmer, developed sudden, severe testicular torsion during training camp. The ER called Dr. Koksal at home. Within 25 minutes, he was in the OR at Medical Park Goztepe, having coordinated the team en route. He spoke directly to my terrified son: 'You're an athlete. This is an injury. We will fix it.' The surgery saved the testicle. What followed was unexpected: Dr. Koksal, aware of the psychological impact, arranged three sessions with a young former athlete he mentors who'd been through similar surgery. At our last check-up, he reviewed my son's training regimen and gave specific clearance advice. This wasn't just emergency surgery; it was holistic, compassionate crisis care that treated the athlete, not just the acute pain.

Our 8-year-old daughter Lara needed a routine elective orchidopexy for an undescended testicle. We expected a quick, standard consultation. Instead, Dr. Koksal used a 3D anatomical model on his computer to show Lara (in child-friendly terms) exactly what was happening and why fixing it was good for her 'body's teamwork.' He let her hold the laparoscopic camera prototype. On surgery day, he played her favorite music in the OR as she went under anesthesia. The procedure was perfect, but his follow-up was what stunned us. He scheduled a video call for her 1-week check-up so she could recover at her grandma's house. He then sent a handwritten 'bravery certificate' signed by the entire surgical team. He transformed a routine procedure into an empowering experience that left our daughter proud, not scared, of her own body.