Prof. M.D. Murat Turfan

My 8-year-old son, Leo, was born with a complex congenital heart defect that multiple doctors called 'inoperable.' We traveled from Greece to Acibadem Kartal specifically for Dr. Turfan. He didn't just see a diagnosis; he saw a little boy who loved soccer. Using a groundbreaking hybrid procedure he designed, combining catheterization with minimal incision surgery, he repaired what others wouldn't touch. Leo's recovery was astonishingly fast. Six months later, Dr. Turfan watched Leo's first junior league match on video with us in his office, beaming like a proud uncle. He gave us our son's future back.

As a 42-year-old marathon runner, my 'routine checkup' with Dr. Turfan after a minor dizzy spell turned into a lifesaving intervention. While my ECG was normal, he was concerned by a subtle asymmetry in my pulse. He insisted on a cardiac MRI 'just to be thorough,' against my protests that I was fine. It revealed a silent, dissecting aortic aneurysm—a ticking time bomb. His calm, decisive manner during the emergency endovascular stent graft procedure was incredible. He later explained it to me using running analogies about 'course corrections.' I didn't have a routine checkup; I had a guardian angel in a white coat.

My 91-year-old grandmother, Ayşe, was dismissed by others due to her age and 'frailty' when she presented with severe aortic stenosis. Dr. Turfan refused to write her off. He spent an hour just talking to her about her life, her garden, her will to live. He pioneered a tailored, ultra-minimalist TAVI procedure for her, considering her specific anatomy and bone density. The surgery lasted under an hour. The next day, she was sitting up, complaining about the hospital tea. Her energy now is better than a decade ago. Dr. Turfan doesn't see an elderly patient; he sees a human being with a full life still to live.

I was the 'complex surgery' case no one wanted—a failed mitral valve repair from another hospital, complicated by a rare infection and ventricular aneurysm. My file was a nightmare. Dr. Turfan's approach was methodical and artistic. He created a 3D-printed model of my heart to plan the salvage operation, explaining each step to me like a master architect. The 7-hour surgery was a complete reconstruction. During follow-up, his focus wasn't just on echocardiograms; it was on my anxiety, my sleep, my return to teaching. He managed not just the organ, but the profound psychological trauma of medical failure. He is a sculptor of hearts and a healer of spirits.