Patient Experience
An 8-year-old Syrian refugee boy with complex congenital heart disease and suspected vascular ring compression presented with stridor. Dr. Barburoğlu performed a low-dose ECG-gated cardiac CT using a pediatric-specific protocol, discovering a rare 'circumflex aortic arch' anomaly compressing both trachea and esophagus. His detailed 3D reconstruction guided a successful single-stage surgical repair.
As a 72-year-old retired teacher with chronic lumbar stenosis, I had tried everything from physiotherapy to nerve blocks with minimal relief. Dr. Hayırlıoğlu didn't just see me as another elderly patient with back pain. He spent an hour mapping my pain patterns with a detailed anatomical chart, explaining how age-related changes in my facet joints were interacting with old scar tissue. His approach was methodical: first a diagnostic medial branch block that actually worked, then a radiofrequency ablation procedure performed with such precision I felt nothing but warmth. What impressed me most was his follow-up call on a Sunday evening to check if I could finally tie my own shoes without crying. For the first time in a decade, I gardened for three hours yesterday.
Our 8-year-old daughter developed complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) in her right foot after a seemingly minor playground fall. Pediatric pain specialists were scarce, and we were terrified. Dr. Mehmet Bilhan approached her not as a small adult but as a frightened child. He used cartoon diagrams of 'pain monsters' to explain the nerve signals, created a game out of the sensory testing, and prescribed a multidisciplinary plan involving a pediatric physiotherapist he personally coordinates with. Instead of heavy medication, he started with mirror therapy and desensitization techniques. He remembers her favorite cartoon characters and asks about her soccer progress at every video follow-up. Her foot is now pink and warm again, and she calls him 'the pain magician.'
I arrived at Acıbadem Atakent's ER at 2 AM with acute trigeminal neuralgia—electric shock-like pain so severe I was dehydrated from being unable to drink. This wasn't my first flare-up, but it was the worst. Dr. Hayırlıoğlu, who was on call, didn't just administer emergency medication. He performed a bedside ultrasound-guided infraorbital nerve block with a portable device, explaining each step through my tears. The relief was instantaneous. But his emergency intervention was just the beginning; he scheduled me for an urgent MRI and designed a staged plan involving gamma knife radiosurgery consultation. His ability to pivot from crisis management to long-term strategy in the middle of the night changed everything.
Following a complex spinal fusion surgery at another hospital, I developed failed back surgery syndrome with persistent leg pain. Multiple doctors told me to 'learn to live with it.' Dr. Hayırlıoğlu reviewed my imaging and said, 'Your hardware is perfect, but we have a nerve trapped in fibrosis.' He proposed an innovative hybrid procedure: first a spinal endoscopy to lyse adhesions, followed by a targeted spinal cord stimulator trial. The procedure itself was done under conscious sedation so he could test my responses. What sets him apart is his procedural artistry combined with brutal honesty—he told me exactly what percentage improvement to expect (70-80%), not fairy tales. I'm at 75% reduction at 6 months. He runs a pain management orchestra, not a solo act.
A 24-year-old female professional e-sports athlete presented with sudden-onset, debilitating migraines and hand tremors that threatened her career. Dr. Allahverdiyeva discovered an unusual combination of excessive caffeine consumption, sleep cycle inversion, and a previously undiagnosed patent foramen ovale. Treatment involved a coordinated plan with a cardiologist for device closure, strict circadian rhythm retraining, and dietary modification. The patient returned to competition after 3 months with no symptoms.
A 78-year-old retired museum curator from a low-income neighborhood arrived with unexplained weight loss and fatigue. His complex presentation included a history of asbestos exposure and rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Allahverdiyeva identified not malnutrition, but a rare paraneoplastic syndrome secondary to early-stage mesothelioma, caught through meticulous history-taking about his specific curation work. Treatment involved early oncology referral and targeted immunotherapy, leading to stabilized disease and improved quality of life.
A 42-year-old single mother and long-haul truck driver presented with episodic confusion and hypertension. Dr. Allahverdiyeva uncovered a pattern linking her symptoms to specific rest-stop meals, leading to a diagnosis of tyramine-induced hypertensive crisis from undisclosed MAOI use for depression, combined with chronic sleep apnea. Management involved medication adjustment, CPAP initiation, and dietary education, resolving her crises within weeks.
A 19-year-old university exchange student from Central Asia arrived with fever and jaundice. Initial assumptions pointed to viral hepatitis, but Dr. Allahverdiyeva's detailed questioning revealed he had been participating in traditional eagle hunting, leading to a diagnosis of rare brucellosis from unpasteurized dairy consumed during ceremonies. Treatment with specific antibiotics led to full recovery, and his extended family abroad was notified for screening.
After years of debilitating migraines that felt like an ice pick behind my left eye, I was referred to Dr. Meltem Güner Can at Acibadem Atakent. I'm a 28-year-old software developer, and the pain was destroying my career. Other doctors just prescribed stronger pills. Dr. Güner Can did something remarkable—she listened to the pattern of my pain for nearly 45 minutes, correlating it with my screen time and caffeine intake. She proposed a targeted nerve block combined with a structured digital detox plan, not just medication. The procedure itself was precise and almost painless. For the first time in a decade, I've had three consecutive weeks without a migraine. She treated me like a puzzle to be solved, not just a chart.
My 8-year-old son, Deniz, developed complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) in his right foot after a seemingly minor playground fall. The pain was so severe he couldn't bear the weight of a bedsheet. We saw several specialists who were hesitant to treat a child so aggressively. Dr. Meltem Güner Can was different. She knelt to his eye level, spoke to him about his favorite cartoons, and explained the 'superhero nerve medicine' in terms he understood. She designed a pediatric-specific sympathetic nerve block series combined with a gentle physiotherapy schedule. Her approach was a blend of advanced medicine and profound compassion. Deniz is now back playing football, albeit carefully. She gave us our joyful boy back.
As a 72-year-old retired teacher with advanced spinal stenosis, I had resigned myself to a life confined to my armchair, drowning in painkillers. A routine checkup with my GP led me to Dr. Güner Can for pain management. She didn't offer a magic cure but a realistic strategy. She performed a meticulous epidural steroid injection under imaging guidance, but her real genius was the holistic 'pain pacing' plan she co-created with me. It considered my arthritis, my love for gardening, and my mental health. She coordinated with a physiotherapist who speaks my native Turkish. The pain is now a manageable background hum, not a screaming siren. I can deadhead my roses again. Her respect for my autonomy as an elderly patient meant everything.
I was an emergency admission after a motorcycle accident left me with multiple rib fractures and excruciating, breath-stealing pain. Standard opioids made me violently ill. Dr. Meltem Güner Can was consulted for acute pain management. Within hours, she proposed and performed an ultrasound-guided serratus anterior plane block—a procedure I'd never heard of. It was like a miracle switch; the crushing pain in my chest wall simply dissolved, allowing me to breathe and cough properly to prevent pneumonia. Her follow-up was relentless; she adjusted the catheter infusion personally twice daily. She managed my acute trauma pain without knocking me unconscious, which was critical for my recovery. Her intervention in that crisis was nothing short of brilliant engineering of comfort.
A 28-year-old nomadic shepherd from rural Anatolia arrived with chronic shoulder pain dismissed by local clinics. Dr. Hayretci's musculoskeletal ultrasound revealed not tendonitis, but a migrating hydatid cyst from Echinococcus infection acquired through sheep contact—an unexpected zoonotic diagnosis requiring specific antiparasitic treatment rather than orthopedic intervention.
During a routine abdominal CT for a 67-year-old retired ship captain with vague discomfort, Dr. Hayretci detected subtle asymmetrical enhancement in the pancreatic duct. Her insistence on contrast-enhanced MRI revealed a minute neuroendocrine tumor missed by initial imaging, leading to curative laparoscopic resection before metastasis.
A 19-year-old elite freediver presented with recurrent vertigo after deep dives. While neurological exams were normal, Dr. Hayretci performed specialized temporal bone CT reconstructions that identified a previously undiagnosed superior semicircular canal dehiscence—explaining the pressure-induced symptoms and ending the athlete's career uncertainty.
A 42-year-old immigrant factory worker with limited Turkish presented with worsening cough. Initial chest X-rays suggested pneumonia, but Dr. Hayretci's meticulous review of prior imaging from his home country revealed progressive fibrotic changes consistent with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis from workplace mold exposure, altering treatment from antibiotics to steroids.
Dr. dr Metehan Özen provided exceptional care for my infectious disease condition. The treatment was personalized and effective.
I was impressed by the professional approach at Acibadem Atakent Hospital. Dr. dr Metehan Özen explained everything clearly and made me feel comfortable.
The recovery process was smooth thanks to Dr. dr Metehan Özen's expertise. Highly recommend for infectious disease treatment.