Turkey,
Istanbul
87%
patients recommend
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Dr. Ibrahim Karatas Clinics is a private multi-specialty medical center in Istanbul, Turkey. The team is dedicated to gastroenterology, weight loss surgery, and mammology. According to the clinic’s data, the success rate for gastric sleeve surgery (sleeve gastrectomy) is above 95%. Dr. Ibrahim Karatas Clinics serves only adults. 1,000 patients choose to get medical care at the clinic every year. Patients from Europe, the Commonwealth, the USA, Canada, Australia, and the CIS countries visit Dr. Ibrahim Karatas Clinics most often.
Latest review
Before reading this review I want to make is completely clear that Dr. Ozenlap did a fantastic job. He was always present for anything that happened before and after the surgery. His team are amazing and kind. They take the time to help you. After leaving I have contacted him a few times and he responds right away with voice messages.
Returning to Canada my post op nurse said my tummy tuck was one of the best she has seen done in Turkey.
I would recommend contacting his clinic directly to arrange a consult and/or surgery as I will when I come for additional services. I highly recommend him.
I had dealt with Zeneyp through the entire process and she was really helpful but as the date of my arrival approached it was just a bit more difficult.
I did land in Istanbul on April 21st to do some traveling beforehand.
A few days before I was to leave I followed up with her about my transportation from the airport. She told me it was too early (4 days) to set up the group chat. I then checked in with her the night before I flew out where I got the information.
During our messages I confirmed with Zeneyp what my check in and out days would be since I was there a few days before hand.
She confirmed I would check out April 24th and return on April 27th to the hotel (as outlined in my iteintery)
I messaged the group chat on the 23rd asking when I would be picked up and was told I was not being picked up until the day of surgery of April 25th. I was ultimately charged for this date.
When being admitted to the hospital on the 25th I was informed that the anesthesiologist would not go ahead because of the Lithium I take without it being in my system.
One of my first messages with Zeneyp was the medications that I take. I was even asked to clarify my use of another medication so I know thought these would be recorded during the intake.
While Canada will operate I understand that Turkey does not. If I had been made aware of this I would have received guidance from my doctor if I needed to stop the medication before I left for Turkey.
Brining this up to Zeneyp she said that the anesthesiologist doesn’t know beforehand and this is how it works. I am certain that a surgeon and anesthesiologist would look at a file before preforming a surgery, like when it gets approved by the surgeon. Not when they’re walking into the hospital.
Notifying the surgeon, etc of meds would have been her job and I Would be pretty confident that she erred in this.
I would make sure that all your medications are checked before you leave for the long travel to Turkey so you are not delayed or worse yet, turned away.
I was originally scheduled for a tummy tuck with Dr. Emre Ozanlap on April 25th, which was then delayed to April 28th because information about medication I take was not given to him prior to my arrival in Turkey.
I was not provided with any reason on why there is no discussion between medical professionals prior to a decent size surgery.
No matter how I tried to get a better explanation she would not give me one.
This ended up with me having to pay an extra 3 days for the hotel (6 if we include both of the hospital arrival dates that were outlined) and a new flight home.
**surgery happens**
A couple days after my operation I go for my check up and your medical coordinator, Hisham, asked me about if I was getting lymphatic massages and was surprised I hadn’t been offered any.
I was then contacted by Zenyep afterwards and set one up.
During my initial massage the nurse was getting my incision tape contaminated (proper health measures were taken by her). I asked if this was ok and she said yes.
I scheduled one for the next day and when the nurse saw the dirty tape she got on the phone with Zenyep. They spoke in Turkish so I don’t know what was said.
The nurse fully took off my tape and told me Zeneyp would come by sometime with tape and I agreed I could re tape it once I got it.
I waited a while and touched base with her with no response so I went and found a pharmacy for the tape because I flew out in a couple hours and did not want my incision just open.
I later received a message that it was Sunday and the pharmacy’s were closed.
Upon me telling her I just left a pharmacy she told me it was her day off.
She was prepared to have me leave with an open incision while traveling over 18 hours.
That was my last interaction with her.
During the whole entire time she was never was accountable, apologetic or even empathetic. Always dodging any questions for clarification but basically saying “this is the way”
The lack of due diligence by her or Doctor K Clinic as a whole could have left me in a worse situation physically than the inconvenience of the financial situation I find myself in.
I do not recommend using their service for booking your surgeries. PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THE ABOVE REVIEW OF DR. OZENLAP.
— Amber Spitz
Canada, May 5, 2024
May 5, 2024 • Verified review.
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