One of the most sought-after kidney transplant specialists in Turkey is urologist Prof. Dr. Burak Koçak. He is the director of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program at Koç University Hospital in Turkey. Prof. Dr. Burak Koçak has been partnering with Medical Karadži for years and has transplanted many Bulgarian patients. So far, the professor has not had a single failed transplant performed on patients referred by ZIC Medical Karadži.
He completed his medical education in 1996 at the Faculty of Medicine of Hacettepe University. He honed his skills in transplant surgery at Northwestern University in the United States from 2002-2004. He has subsequently led kidney transplant teams at some of the most reputable medical institutions in our southern neighbor. Prof. Dr. Burak Koçak has accumulated considerable professional experience in kidney transplantation, including in children and infants weighing less than 10 kg.
Kidney failure
Kidney failure is an extremely insidious disease and at the beginning it can proceed without any symptoms. It begins mostly with debility, and in an advanced stage it can be observed:
- hypertension
- swelling of the eyelids and limbs
- bone pain, especially in the legs
- and a visible decrease in the amount of urine
Usually people turn to a doctor after the onset of similar complaints when the disease is advanced. And in fact, kidney failure can be detected much earlier with just a simple blood or urine creatinine test to take action in time. People who have a family history of kidney disease, those who are overweight, and people over the age of 65 fall into the risk group for chronic kidney failure. They should have a check-up at least once a year for:
- sugar measurement
- blood pressure
- and check their kidney function by measuring serum creatinine.
Laparoscopic and robot-assisted transplantation techniques
A healthy kidney transplant is the only alternative for end-stage renal failure patients. Modern medical methods allow it to be performed with a low risk, high success rate and rapid recovery for both donor and recipient. Laparoscopic (closed) surgical techniques, as well as robotic-assisted surgery, which is performed through several small holes 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. Increasingly, relatives of patients with chronic kidney failure are choosing 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". These 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. For this purpose it is necessary:
- experienced multidisciplinary team
- well-equipped operating rooms
- reliable laboratory
- intensive care
- and imaging studies
Koç University Hospital has 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).
To the profile of Koç University Hospital
