Dr. Ayça Özgen

Dr. Ayça Özgen is a cardiovascular surgeon who sees patients at Acibadem Dr. Sinasi Can (Kadikoy) Hospital and at Acibadem Bağdat Outpatient Clinic, both in İstanbul. She works within the Cardiovascular Surgery unit, and her subspecialty interests are vascular surgery and varicose vein treatment. She has more than 22 years of experience in medicine and speaks Turkish and English.

Dr. Özgen graduated from Gazi University Faculty of Medicine in 2004. She completed her specialty training in cardiovascular surgery at Dr. Siyami Ersek Thoracic, Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital in 2011, and during 2010–2011 she undertook a surgical observership at the Texas Heart Institute. From 2012 to 2014 she completed her compulsory service at Batman Regional State Hospital, and from 2014 to 2017 she worked at Özel Çamlıca Erdem Hospital before joining Acıbadem Healthcare Services in 2017. She is a member of the Turkish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery (TKDCD), the National Vascular Surgery Society (UVAS), the Fleboloji Association, the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS), the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS), The Cardiothoracic Surgery Network (CTSNET) and the European Society for Cardio-Vascular Surgery (ESCVS). She has co-authored peer-reviewed publications on topics including preoperative risk factors in ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, unilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion under systemic hypothermia, and rare cardiac and metastatic tumors.

Clinical focus

Dr. Özgen’s clinical work centers on vascular surgery and on venous conditions. Her areas of expertise include the assessment and treatment of varicose veins and venous insufficiency, which can present with symptoms such as leg heaviness, swelling or visible veins. The choice of treatment depends on the findings of the clinical examination and imaging, and the options are discussed with each patient individually. General information on endovascular surgery is available on this site.

She also treats lipedema and lymphedema, two conditions that cause swelling of the limbs and that are often mistaken for one another or for other causes of swelling. In these cases, her role includes establishing the diagnosis, distinguishing between the possible causes of limb swelling and discussing an appropriate management plan. As with all vascular conditions, treatment recommendations are made only after a careful evaluation of the individual patient’s history, examination findings and imaging.

How Dr. Özgen works with international patients

Dr. Özgen consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for other languages. Before a visit, the international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports and imaging, such as ultrasound, MRI or CT reports, laboratory and pathology results, operative notes and discharge summaries, arranges appointments and organizes 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 options. Video consultation is also available for international patients who wish to have an initial discussion before deciding whether to travel.