Prof. Canan Ayabakan, MD

Prof. Canan Ayabakan, MD is a pediatric cardiologist who practices at Acibadem Maslak Hospital, Acibadem Bakirkoy Hospital and Acibadem Altunizade Hospital in İstanbul, where she has worked since 2020. She has more than 33 years of experience in medicine and is a member of the Turkish Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Association and the Adult Congenital Heart Diseases Association. Her work concerns the diagnosis and care of heart conditions in children, including conditions identified before birth.

Dr. Ayabakan graduated from İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine in 1993. She then trained at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, where she was a research assistant in the Department of Child Health and Diseases from 1993 to 2001, completing her specialization in Child Health and Diseases in 1998 and in Pediatric Cardiology in 2001. From 2002 to 2006 she worked as a specialist at Marmara University Faculty of Medicine. In 2006 she joined Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, where she progressed through the academic ranks in the Department of Child Health and Diseases and served as professor from 2014 to 2019. In parallel, she held appointments at Yakın Doğu University, Faculty of Medicine, as associate professor of pediatric cardiology from 2011 to 2014 and as professor from 2017 to 2018. She has co-authored peer-reviewed publications on topics such as balloon angioplasty in coarctation of the aorta, complications of cardiac catheterization in children with congenital heart disease, and radiofrequency catheter ablation of accessory pathways in children.

Clinical focus

Dr. Ayabakan evaluates and manages congenital heart disease in children, including atrial septal defect (ASD), as well as cardiomyopathy, heart valve disorders and heart failure. Her diagnostic work includes echocardiography, and in particular fetal echocardiography for the prenatal diagnosis of heart conditions, which allows a suspected cardiac problem to be assessed before a baby is born.

She also performs cardiac catheterization and treats arrhythmias in children, including catheter ablation for arrhythmias. The choice between observation, medication, catheter-based treatment or referral for surgery depends on the individual child’s diagnosis, age and clinical findings, and is discussed with the family after a full assessment.

How Dr. Ayabakan works with international patients

Dr. Ayabakan consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for families who speak other languages. The international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports and imaging, such as echocardiography reports, MRI or CT reports, laboratory results, operative notes and discharge summaries, and arranges appointments and the hospital visit. A first consultation typically covers the child’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 child’s case before traveling.