M.D. Eralp Yurtsever

My 82-year-old father, a retired ship captain with a pacemaker, fell in the bazaar and fractured his hip. The chaos at the scene was overwhelming. Dr. Yurtsever didn't just treat the fracture; he noticed my father's irregular pulse that others missed. He coordinated with cardiology while stabilizing him for surgery, speaking to my father in calm, nautical metaphors about 'weathering the storm.' His holistic approach in the ER—treating the trauma while managing complex comorbidities—was like watching a master conductor. My father's recovery was smoother because Dr. Yurtsever saw the whole patient, not just the broken bone.

Our 7-year-old daughter swallowed a small toy magnet while playing 'space explorer.' The X-ray showed two magnets in her intestines, a silent emergency. Dr. Yurtsever had this incredible way of bending down to her eye level, explaining they were 'planets stuck in a gravity pull' that needed separating. He moved with urgent precision but without panic, which kept us from completely falling apart. He orchestrated the pediatric surgery team while simultaneously managing our anxiety. His ability to communicate critical information to both terrified parents and a confused child in their own 'languages' was nothing short of miraculous. He turned a potential catastrophe into a controlled mission.

I'm a competitive rock climber and arrived at Acibadem Maslak after a 25-foot fall. My injuries were a complex puzzle: a dislocated shoulder, potential spinal concern, and severe leg abrasions. Dr. Yurtsever's assessment was methodical yet lightning-fast. He didn't just follow protocols; he applied them with an athlete's understanding. He asked about my climbing style to gauge impact forces, which informed his suspicion of a specific ligament tear later confirmed by MRI. His trauma management felt personalized—like he was diagnosing the accident, not just the injuries. His direct communication gave me confidence during a terrifying, life-upending moment.

What I thought was severe indigestion turned out to be a dissecting aortic aneurysm—a true time-bomb condition. As a 58-year-old with no prior major health issues, the diagnosis was surreal. Dr. Yurtsever's demeanor shifted the moment the CT scan results came in; his calm intensity became the anchor in the room. He explained the razor-thin margins without sugarcoating, yet his absolute command of the emergency protocol was reassuring. He didn't just hand me off to vascular surgery; he personally escorted me to the OR, briefing the team en route. His seamless transition from diagnostician to crisis manager in those critical minutes, I believe, is why I'm writing this today.