Prof. Dr. Burak Koçak, urologist and one of the most sought-after kidney transplant specialists in Turkey, will consult patients in Sofia for free on 28-29 September 2018. He is coming to our country at the invitation of Zvezdelina Lutfi, Manager of the Health Information Center "Medical Karaj", 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.
Prof. Burak Koçak is the Director of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program at Koç University Hospital in Turkey. He completed his medical education in 1996 at the Faculty of Medicine of Hacettepe University, and honed his skills in transplant surgery at Northwestern University in the USA from 2002-2004. He has subsequently led kidney transplant teams at some of the most reputable medical institutions in our southern neighbor. He has accumulated considerable professional experience in kidney transplantation, including in children and infants weighing less than 10 kg.
Laparoscopic and robot-assisted transplantation techniques
Healthy kidney transplantation is the only alternative for patients in end-stage chronic kidney failure, and modern medical methods allow it to be performed with low risk, high success rates and rapid recovery for both donor and recipient. Laparoscopic (closed) surgical techniques, as well as robotic-assisted surgery, which is performed through several small openings instead of a large surgical incision, help to reduce infections, pain and blood loss during surgery. Thanks to them, transplants from living donors have increased significantly in recent years and, increasingly, relatives of patients with chronic kidney failure are deciding to donate an organ to save the life of a loved one. Advances in medicine have also enabled the successful application of so-called "cross transplants", which give patients a chance at life even in the absence of the necessary compatibility with a donor who has agreed to donate an organ.
Kidney transplants in children
Unfortunately, chronic kidney failure can affect both adults and children. It can be due to inherited diseases and abnormalities, as well as to overexposed infections that impair kidney functions. In early childhood, kidney transplantation is recommended as the first choice of treatment over dialysis, which can cause problems in the growth and development of the young body. And because the child's corpus callosum is significantly diminished and the blood vessels are thin and fragile, kidney transplantation at this age requires considerable expertise and precision on the part of the medical team.
The hospital and team are key in transplantation
Organ transplantation is one of the most complex operations in medical practice, and when the organ is taken from a living donor, the responsibility is twofold - not one, but two human lives depend on correct and timely medical actions. Moreover, the success of transplantation depends not only on the operation itself, the stages before and after the surgical intervention are no less important. This requires an experienced multidisciplinary team, well-equipped operating rooms, a reliable laboratory, intensive care and imaging. At Koç University Hospital, we have state-of-the-art technological equipment and an expert team of specialists in surgery, pediatric surgery, urology, nephrology, anesthesiology and intensive care. The center operates the first immunology laboratory in Turkey accredited by EFI (European Federation for Immunogenetics).
Those wishing to take advantage of the opportunity for a free consultation with Prof. Dr. Burak Koçak in Sofia on 28 and 29 September should make an appointment in advance by calling Medical Karadži: 0879 977 401 or 0879 977 402as well as to provide on the spot all medical documents in their possession to date.
