Associate Professor Turul Demirel will consult free of charge with diabetic and overweight patients
An innovative surgical method practiced by only a few surgeons worldwide is helping patients with type 2 diabetes beat the disease. In 95% of the cases, remission is achieved and insulin intake is stopped, points out Dr. Turul Demirel, who applies the new method in Turkey. Hundreds of patients have already benefited from it, including several from Bulgaria. On May 5, Assoc. Demirel will consult for free in Sofia patients who are interested in the innovative treatment. He arrives in Bulgaria at the invitation of the Health Information Center "Medical Karadj", within the framework of their initiative to provide Bulgarian patients with access to the most advanced methods in medicine, partnering with some of the best medical institutions and specialists from around the world.
More than 500 000 people in Bulgaria have diabetes and about 90% of them have type 2 diabetes. The usual treatment for this diagnosis includes proper diet and exercise, diabetes medications and insulin. However, about 15-20% of those affected do not achieve the expected blood sugar control with the classical treatment protocol. Poor diabetes control leads to progressive organ damage in the human body and is a common cause of kidney failure, limb amputations, heart attack and stroke.
Until recently, E. M. from Plovdiv was one of them - a long-time diabetic, with blood sugar reaching 17 mmol/l, despite the medication and the restrictive regime. In 2016, thanks to "Medical Carrage" she learned about Assoc. Demirel and at the end of October she had surgery with him in Turkey. Currently her blood sugar ranges between 4.8 - 5.5, and without any medication, and she has lost 55 kg of weight in the few months since her surgery. She claims that the decision to undergo the surgery was one of the best of her life.
Surgery for type 2 diabetes is appropriate for patients between the ages of 18 and 70 who were diagnosed with the disease more than 2 years ago and who are unable to control their blood sugar levels well with standard treatment, explains Dr. Turul Demirel. It does not apply to people with type 1 diabetes and those who successfully control the disease with medication treatment.
The type of surgery is chosen according to the specific case, but the newest method applied specifically to type 2 diabetes is called "ileal interposition" and is used in several countries around the world - Brazil, Japan, India, America, Italy and Turkey. It is a 'displacement' of the intestine which, in a much more powerful way than all drugs and insulin, removes the damage to the beta cells that underlie diabetes. The operation is laparoscopic and is performed through 6 small holes without an incision in the abdomen. 85% of patients are discharged from hospital completely insulin independent. In 10% of them, medication is reduced and stopped within a few months. In 5% of those operated on, insulin use is reduced and better blood glucose control is achieved.
Patients who are interested in the new method can have a free consultation with Dr. Turul Demirel in Sofia. Overweight and obese patients who are unable to cope with the problem can also benefit from free consultations.
Pre-booking is required by tel. 0879 977 401 or 0879 977 402.
