Berna Yayla Özker, MD

Berna Yayla Özker, MD is an otorhinolaryngology (ENT) specialist at Acibadem Altunizade Hospital in İstanbul, where she works in the Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) unit and has a subspecialty focus on sleep disorders. She has more than 26 years in medicine and sees both adult and pediatric patients with conditions of the ear, nose and throat, including hearing, balance, voice and sleep-related concerns.

Dr. Özker graduated from Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine in 2000 and completed her specialization in Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases at Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine in 2005. Her professional experience includes positions at Kocaeli Devlet Hospital (2006–2007), Kocaeli Karamürsel Devlet Hospital (2007–2008), Ordu Devlet Hospital (2008), Başkent University İstanbul Practice and Research Hospital (2008–2011), Gebze MedicalPark Hospital (2012–2013) and İçerenköy Bayındır Hospital (2013). She joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services in 2022. She is a member of the Turkish Medical Association and the Turkish Association of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. Her co-authored publications address topics such as oxidative status in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, vestibular rehabilitation in patients with bilateral vestibular dysfunction, vestibular evoked myogenic potentials during vertigo attacks, tonsillar hypertrophy in children and laryngeal reconstruction.

Clinical focus

A substantial part of Dr. Özker’s work concerns the ear and the balance system. Her areas of expertise include pediatric hearing loss, middle-ear surgery and cholesteatoma surgery, as well as the evaluation and management of vertigo and Meniere’s disease. Because dizziness and hearing symptoms can have several possible causes, assessment generally begins with a detailed history and clinical examination before any treatment option is discussed.

In nasal and sinus disorders, she performs endoscopic sinus surgery and septoplasty. Her throat-related practice covers tonsillectomy, adenoid conditions, hoarseness and salivary gland disorders. She also evaluates patients with sleep disorders from an ENT perspective, considering how the upper airway may contribute to sleep-related symptoms. Whether surgery or a non-surgical approach is appropriate depends on the individual findings, and this is reviewed with the patient on a case-by-case basis.

How Dr. Özker works with international patients

Dr. Özker consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for patients who speak other languages. Before a visit, the Acibadem international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports and imaging, such as CT or MRI reports, hearing tests, 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 options. Video consultation is available for international patients who wish to discuss their situation with Dr. Özker before deciding whether to travel; whether an in-person examination is needed depends on the condition and the information already available.