Hisar Hospital Intercontinental
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hilmi Kaya is a professor of neurosurgery at Anadolu Medical Center in Gebze, Turkey. He earned his MD from Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa (English program). He completed his neurosurgery residency there from 1996 to 2003. He became a professor in 2015. He also completed observerships at Maastricht University in 2007 and 2009.
His clinical focus includes functional and stereotactic neurosurgery, including deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor. He also treats spinal tumors and spinal stenosis and performs spinal instrumentation. He manages skull base and brain tumors. He performs vascular surgery of the central nervous system.
Achievements include leading a Parkinson’s research project at Ondokuz Mayıs University (BAP, Project No. T.597, 2008). He supervised a neurosurgery thesis in 2008. His awards include third place at the 2nd National Congress of the Society of Neurosurgery in 2006, the Turkish Neurosurgical Society Overseas Scholarship in 2008, and the Aysima Altınok Thesis Award in 2009. Several of his papers ranked at the 22nd and 23rd Turkish Neurosurgical Society Scientific Congresses in 2008 and 2009. He is a member of the Turkish Neurosurgical Society and the Turkish Medical Association.
Dr. Melih Uc is a neurosurgeon at Valued Med Hub Hospitals in Istanbul. He completed specialized neurosurgery training at the University of Wisconsin in the USA. Dr. Uc focuses on treating complex brain and spinal conditions. He published research on minimally invasive approaches for spinal pars repair.
Dr. Erhan Arslan is a neurosurgeon at VM Medical Park Pendik Hospital in Istanbul. He achieved his professorship in 2020. Dr. Arslan specializes in brain aneurysm repair and tumor surgery. He treats complex conditions like spinal stenosis and moyamoya disease. Dr. Arslan practices at a JCI-accredited facility.
Turkish neurosurgery centers treat Tarlov cysts, spinal meningeal cysts, and synovial cysts using microsurgical techniques. Specialized clinics in Istanbul also manage pilonidal and general spinal canal cysts. JCI-accredited facilities offer decompression and fenestration to relieve nerve pressure and improve patient mobility.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Anadolu Medical Center in Istanbul is affiliated with Johns Hopkins Hospital. This allows patients to access protocols developed by a global neurology leader. Experience matters here as Dr. Serdar Kahraman at Liv Hospital has over 30+ years in neuroendoscopy. Highly experienced surgeons are better at distinguishing between symptomatic cysts and incidental findings on MRI scans.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that confirming whether a cyst actually causes symptoms is vital before traveling. Many emphasize discussing risks like fluid leaks or recurrence with the surgeon during initial consultations.
Surgery is required when a spinal cyst causes nerve compression leading to persistent pain, muscle weakness, or leg numbness. Essential for rare cases like cauda equina syndrome, doctors recommend it if physical therapy or injections fail. Surgeons perform decompression to remove the cyst and restore nerve space.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Data shows Turkish neurosurgery centers like Memorial Şişli and Medipol utilize advanced AI-supported 3 Tesla MRI for precise cyst mapping before surgery. A critical trend among experts like Dr. Serdar Kahraman and Assistant Professor Dr. Cevdet Gokcek is the focus on minimally invasive neuro-endoscopy. This approach, practiced by surgeons with over 30 years of experience, aims to avoid permanent fusion by preserving spinal stability during cyst removal.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that decisions depend more on how the cyst affects nerves than its actual size. Many emphasize clarifying if the plan involves simple removal or fusion, as fusion significantly changes the recovery timeline and physical limits.
Turkish JCI-accredited medical centers offer minimally invasive spine surgery for cyst removal using advanced endoscopic and microsurgical techniques. Specialized neurosurgeons use 1-inch incisions to access synovial or Tarlov cysts. These procedures preserve spinal stability and typically enable patients to walk within 24 hours.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Patients often prioritize robotic technology, but for spine cysts, surgeon specialization is the true quality signal. Data shows highly rated doctors like Dr. Cevdet Gokcek and Dr. Salih Murat Imer maintain 30+ years of experience. These experts often hold specific fellowships in endoscopic techniques from institutions in Germany or the United States.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that receiving a detailed surgical plan based on a recent MRI is essential before travel. They emphasize confirming that the surgeon has specific experience with your particular cyst type rather than just general disc surgery.
Leading Turkish centers for spinal cyst care include JCI-accredited facilities in Istanbul such as Hisar Hospital Intercontinental and Anadolu Medical Center. These institutions specialize in microsurgical and endoscopic techniques to treat Tarlov, arachnoid, and synovial cysts. Expertise is frequently concentrated in neurosurgery departments with significant patient volumes.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Patient data suggests prioritizing high-volume centers like Istanbul Florence Nightingale, which serves 300,000 patients yearly. Larger facilities often provide essential multidisciplinary tumor boards and advanced neuro-monitoring. This is critical for spinal cysts where preserving nerve function is the primary goal. These hospitals also typically offer on-site heliports for complex international transfers.
Patient Consensus: Patients emphasize the need for a thorough MRI review before travel to ensure the cyst is the actual cause of pain. Many suggest choosing surgeons like Dr. Serdar Kahraman who have decades of experience specifically in spinal endoscopy and neurosurgery.
Risk of cyst recurrence after spine treatment in Turkey is generally low when surgeons perform complete excision. Success depends on the cyst type and surgical technique. JCI-accredited centers in Istanbul use microsurgery and endoscopy to ensure the entire cyst wall is removed to prevent regrowth.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Data from major Turkish hubs shows a high volume of complex neurosurgeries, with Medipol Mega serving over 1,000,000 patients annually. This massive case volume allows surgeons to refine techniques for rare spine cysts. Patients often find that highly specialized doctors, such as Dr. Mustafa Bozbuga, maintain more consistent outcomes in skull base and spinal cord surgeries due to performing over 1,000 procedures during their careers.
Patient Consensus: Patients note it is vital to confirm if the surgeon will perform a complete excision or just drainage. They emphasize that while immediate relief is common, follow-up imaging is necessary to ensure the cyst does not return due to underlying spinal degeneration.