Prof. Fuat Bilgen, MD

Prof. Fuat Bilgen, MD is a cardiovascular surgeon at Acibadem Atasehir Hospital in İstanbul, where he works in the Cardiovascular Surgery unit. His practice covers cardiovascular surgery, vascular surgery and varicose vein treatment, and he has more than 43 years of experience in medicine. He is a member of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, the Turkish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery, the İstanbul Medical Chamber, the Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery Association, the Türk Kardioloji Association and the National Vascular Surgery Association.

Dr. Bilgen graduated from İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine in 1983 and completed his compulsory service as a physician at Afyon- Dereçine Health Center between 1983 and 1985. He completed his cardiovascular surgery training at Dr. Siyami Ersek Thoracic, Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital in 1990 and then worked as a specialist doctor at Haydarpaşa GATA Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic from 1991 to 1992. From 1990 to 1998 he was Chief Assistant of Cardiovascular Surgery at Siyami Ersek Hospital; in 1994 he undertook clinical observation at New York Mount Sinai Hospital and worked at Cleveland Clinic in international scholar status. He became Associate Professor Doctor in Cardiovascular Surgery at İstanbul University in 1997 and held the same title at Maltepe University Faculty of Medicine Department of Cardiovascular Surgery from 1998 to 1999. Between 1999 and 2010 he was Head of the Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic at Siyami Ersek Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, and from 2010 to 2017 he led the Private Erdem Hospitals Directorate of Cardiovascular Surgery. He served as Professor at Hasan Kalyoncu University from 2011 to 2013. In 2017 he joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services and took on academic and educational activities at İstanbul Aydın University Faculty of Medicine Department of Cardiovascular Surgery.

Clinical focus

Dr. Bilgen’s surgical work concentrates on coronary, valve, aortic and vascular disease. His areas of expertise include total arterial coronary bypass, minimally invasive coronary bypass and minimally invasive heart valve surgery, as well as minimally invasive aortic aneurysm surgery. He evaluates and treats patients with aortic aneurysm, aortic valve stenosis and other heart valve diseases, and his practice also covers major vessel diseases, general vascular surgery and varicose vein treatment.

His published work reflects this range. Articles he has co-authored in the Turkish Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery and related journals address complete open endarterectomy of the superficial femoral artery, catheter-assisted thrombectomy, arteriovenous fistula aneurysm revisions, hemodialysis access using basilic vein transposition, ischemic syndrome due to distal hypoperfusion in arteriovenous fistulas, the treatment of venous ulcers, Marfan syndrome and ascending aortic disease, replacement of the ascending aorta in bicuspid aorta, and cerebrovascular risk in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

How Dr. Bilgen works with international patients

Dr. Bilgen consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for other languages. Before a visit, the Acibadem international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports and imaging, such as CT, MRI or ultrasound reports, laboratory results, operative notes and discharge summaries, and arranges appointments and the hospital stay. 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 coronary, valve, aortic or vascular condition before travelling.