Prof. M.D. Murat Gönenç

I'm a 72-year-old retired teacher who had been living with an umbilical hernia for years, too scared to address it. From the moment I met Dr. Gönenç at Acibadem Kartal, his calm, grandfatherly demeanor put me at ease. He didn't just see a hernia; he saw my fear of hospitals and explained everything in simple Turkish, even drawing diagrams. The laparoscopic surgery felt like magic—tiny incisions, minimal pain. During follow-up, he called my daughter himself to explain my care. He treated me with a respect that made me feel young again. Not just a surgeon, but a true healer.

Our 8-year-old son, Ali, swallowed a small toy part that got lodged. The ER was chaotic, but when Dr. Murat Gönenç arrived, his energy changed the room. He knelt to Ali's eye level, made a joke about 'treasure hunting,' and explained the endoscopic procedure to him like a space mission. He involved Ali in every decision ('Should we use the blue light or the red?'). The procedure was swift, and Ali left with a 'bravery certificate' Dr. Gönenç had drawn. He managed a pediatric emergency with the precision of a surgeon and the heart of a parent. We are forever grateful.

As a 45-year-old software engineer with a complex, recurrent pilonidal sinus that had failed three previous surgeries elsewhere, I was desperate and skeptical. Dr. Gönenç's approach was radically different. He spent an hour reviewing my old surgical notes, then proposed a novel flap technique he adapted from recent journals. His confidence was factual, not arrogant. The surgery took longer than planned due to unexpected scar tissue, but he communicated this to my wife personally. The post-op care was meticulous—weekly wound checks, custom dressings. A year later, I'm finally healed. He combines academic rigor with artisan-level surgical skill.

What started as a routine gallbladder checkup for intermittent pain turned into a life-saving intervention. Dr. Gönenç's ultrasound revealed not just stones, but a suspicious mass on my liver. His tone shifted from conversational to calmly urgent. He coordinated a same-day MRI, consulted an oncologist within hours, and performed a laparoscopic cholecystectomy with liver biopsy in one procedure. The biopsy was benign, but his vigilance caught a rare, pre-cancerous condition. He navigated my emotional rollercoaster—from routine worry to cancer scare to relief—with unwavering clarity and empathy. This wasn't a checkup; it was a masterclass in comprehensive, preventative care.