Prof. Ersin Erek, MD

Prof. Ersin Erek, MD is a cardiovascular surgeon at Acibadem Atakent Hospital in İstanbul, where he works in the Cardiovascular Surgery unit with a subspecialty in Robotic Surgery. He has more than 36 years in medicine, and his practice spans adult cardiac and major vessel surgery as well as congenital heart surgery, including surgery for children.

Dr. Erek graduated from Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine in 1990 and completed his training in Cardiovascular Surgery at İstanbul University Cardiology Institute in 1997. He then served as Chief Assistant at Istanbul University, Cardiology Institute from 1997 to 2000, followed by a position at Istanbul Memorial Hospital from 2000 to 2002. From 2002 to 2010 he worked at Acibadem Bakirkoy Hospital, and in 2003 he spent time at Onze Lieve Vrouw Hospital, Aalst, Belgium. Between 2010 and 2012 he was Chief of the Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic at Istanbul Mehmet Akif Ersoy Chest Cardiovascular Training and Research Hospital, and from 2012 to 2013 he was Chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at the same institution. In 2011 he obtained the Medical Specialization Board in Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery. Since 2014 he has held the position of Head of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. He is a member of the European Association of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the European Society of Cardiovascular Surgery, the Turkish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery, the Turkish Society of Cardiology, the Turkish Society of Pediatric Cardiology, and the Turkish Medical Association, İstanbul Medical Chamber. His published work includes papers in Pediatric Cardiology, Artificial Organs, The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, the World Journal for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, and the Texas Heart Institute Journal on topics such as extracorporeal life support in congenital heart surgery, delayed sternal closure after congenital heart operations, rare congenital heart anomalies, and aortic dissection.

Clinical focus

Dr. Erek performs robotic cardiac surgery, including robotic bypass surgery, for selected patients. His areas of expertise in adult cardiovascular surgery include aortic aneurysm, aortic valve stenosis, other heart valve diseases, major vessel diseases, and cardiomyopathies.

In pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery, he treats congenital heart disease, including ventricular septal defect (VSD) and atrial septal defect (ASD). Whether a robotic, conventional, or other surgical approach is appropriate depends on the individual patient’s condition, anatomy, and previous treatment, and is determined after clinical assessment.

How Dr. Erek works with international patients

Dr. Erek 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 echocardiography, CT or MRI reports, laboratory 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 available options. Video consultations are available for international patients who wish to discuss their case before deciding whether to travel.