Prof. Bülent Değertekin, MD

Prof. Bülent Değertekin, MD is an Internal Medicine specialist practicing in the Internal Medicine unit at Acibadem Ankara Hospital in Ankara. His clinical work is centered on gastroenterology and hepatology, including liver diseases, gastrointestinal endoscopy, gastrointestinal motility disorders and obesity. He has more than 30 years in medicine and combines hospital practice with an academic role in gastroenterology.

Dr. Değertekin graduated from Gazi University Faculty of Medicine in 1996. He completed his Internal Medicine specialty training there between 1997 and 2001, followed by Gastroenterology specialty training at the same faculty from 2002 to 2005. He then worked in the Department of Gastroenterology at Ankara Gülhane Military Medical Academy (2005–2006) before spending three years at the University of Michigan, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2006–2009), completing a Hepatology Specialty at the University of Michigan School of Medicine in 2009. From 2009 to 2012 he was a faculty member in the Department of Gastroenterology at Ufuk University and became Associate Professor at Ufuk University Faculty of Medicine in 2010. Since 2012 he has been a faculty member of the Department of Gastroenterology at Acıbadem University Faculty of Medicine, where he became Professor in 2017.

Clinical focus

Dr. Değertekin evaluates adults with digestive and liver conditions within the scope of internal medicine and gastroenterology. His areas of expertise include hepatology and liver diseases, gastrointestinal endoscopy, gastrointestinal motility disorders and obesity. Diagnostic and treatment planning is based on the patient’s history, clinical examination and existing test results, and the options discussed depend on the individual case.

His published research reflects a particular interest in hepatology. He is first author of studies on the changing prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Turkey, on the real-world efficacy and safety of Ledipasvir + Sofosbuvir and Ombitasvir/Paritaprevir/Ritonavir ± Dasabuvir combination therapies for chronic hepatitis C in Turkish patients, on regular coffee intake in relation to liver enzyme levels and liver histology, and on the upper limits of normal serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in a healthy Turkish population. He is also a co-author of the Turkey 2017 Clinical Practice Guidelines on hepatitis B virus and hepatitis delta virus infection, and of a publication from the NIH HBV OLT Study Group on liver transplantation for HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma. He is a member of the Turkish Gastroenterology Association, the Turkish Liver Research Association, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), the Türk Motilite Association, the Turkish Medical Association, the Turkish Obesity Association and the Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Association.

How Dr. Değertekin works with international patients

Dr. Değertekin 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 ultrasound, CT or MRI reports, laboratory and pathology results, endoscopy reports, 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 situation before traveling or as part of follow-up.