Op. MD. Damla Sonmez Yalcinkaya

A 17-year-old competitive rhythmic gymnast from a low-income family was diagnosed with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome during a pre-participation physical. Dr. Yalcinkaya provided comprehensive counseling involving the patient's coach and a psychologist, focusing on her athletic identity beyond reproductive capacity. They initiated non-surgical vaginal dilation therapy, coordinated through the hospital's charity fund, with the gymnast achieving anatomical success while maintaining her national competition schedule.

A 34-year-old transgender man, 5 years on testosterone therapy, presented with breakthrough uterine bleeding and pelvic pain. His previous providers had dismissed his gynecological concerns. Dr. Yalcinkaya created a gender-affirming care pathway, performing a hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy using minimally invasive techniques that preserved his abdominal masculinization surgery results. The patient's chosen family participated in his recovery, and he reported significant improvement in gender dysphoria.

A 28-year-old refugee from a conflict zone presented at 32 weeks gestation with a previously undiagnosed uterine septum and signs of preterm labor. She had experienced 3 prior second-trimester losses in her home country. Dr. Yalcinkaya managed her with emergency cervical cerclage and coordinated with hospital interpreters and social services. The patient delivered a viable infant at 36 weeks via planned cesarean, during which Dr. Yalcinkaya concurrently performed septum resection to optimize future reproductive outcomes.

A 51-year-old vineyard owner presented with postmenopausal bleeding while harvesting her annual crop. Diagnostic hysteroscopy revealed early endometrial cancer. Dr. Yalcinkaya scheduled surgery during the vineyard's dormant season and implemented an enhanced recovery protocol that allowed the patient to manage critical phases of the next growing season. The patient's recovery incorporated monitored physical activity through vineyard supervision rather than traditional physiotherapy.

A 42-year-old female deep-sea saturation diver, working on offshore oil rigs, presented with severe dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia that began after her last 3-month underwater rotation. Her unique occupational exposure to hyperbaric conditions and decompression cycles created diagnostic challenges. Dr. Yalcinkaya collaborated with hyperbaric medicine specialists to develop a tailored laparoscopic myomectomy protocol with specific perioperative gas exchange considerations. The patient returned to her high-pressure career after 8 weeks with a customized menstrual suppression regimen for future diving rotations.