Assoc. Prof. Afag Aghayeva, MD

Assoc. Prof. Afag Aghayeva, MD is a General Surgery specialist at Acibadem Altunizade Hospital in İstanbul, where she works within the Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery and General Surgery units. Her clinical work covers endocrine and thyroid surgery, colorectal and anorectal conditions, obesity surgery, digestive system surgery, and robotic surgery. She has more than 18 years in medicine.

Dr. Aghayeva graduated from Marmara University Faculty of Medicine in 2008 and completed her General Surgery training at İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine in 2014. She has been working within Acıbadem Healthcare Services since 2014. Her published work includes contributions on robotic total proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis, excision of a rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor using the TAMIS technique, vascular high ligation and embryological dissection in laparoscopic restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis, and a case report of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor presenting with closed perforation of the small intestine.

Clinical focus

A large part of Dr. Aghayeva’s practice involves diseases of the digestive tract and colorectal surgery. She assesses and treats patients with inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, where surgery may be considered when medical treatment is not sufficient. She also manages hemorrhoids and other anorectal disorders, as well as biliary tract diseases such as cholecystitis. Where appropriate, she applies robotic surgical techniques in her surgical work.

Dr. Aghayeva’s practice also includes endocrine surgery, in particular thyroid disease and thyroid surgery, and bariatric surgery for patients with obesity, including sleeve gastrectomy. In each case, the decision on whether an operation is suitable, and which approach to use, depends on the individual patient’s diagnosis, general health, and previous treatments, and is discussed with the patient after clinical assessment.

How Dr. Aghayeva works with international patients

Dr. Aghayeva consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for other languages. Before a visit, the Acibadem international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports and imaging, for example MRI, CT, X-ray or ultrasound reports, laboratory and pathology results, operative notes and discharge summaries, and arranges appointments and the hospital visit. A first consultation typically covers the patient’s history and symptoms, a review of existing imaging and previous treatments, a clinical examination, and a discussion of the possible options. Video consultation is available for international patients who wish to discuss their case before deciding whether to travel, and an in-person examination may still be needed before any surgical decision is made.