Mehmet Erkan Altun, MD

Mehmet Erkan Altun, MD is an anesthesiologist at Acibadem Maslak Hospital in İstanbul, where he works within the Anesthesiology & Reanimation unit. His areas of expertise cover anesthesiology, reanimation and palliative care. With more than 29 years in medicine, he supports patients who require anesthetic care as part of their diagnostic and treatment journey, working alongside the surgical and medical teams involved in each patient’s care.

Dr. Altun graduated from Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine in 1997. He completed his specialist training in the Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation at Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital in 2010. In 2011 he joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services, and he currently practices at the Maslak hospital in İstanbul.

Clinical focus

The core of Dr. Altun’s work is anesthesiology. In general terms, this involves assessing a patient before a procedure, discussing the anesthetic approach that appears suitable for the individual patient, administering and monitoring anesthesia during the procedure, and following the patient through the recovery phase. The anesthetic plan is adapted to the patient’s medical history, current medications and the nature of the planned procedure, and any questions the patient has about anesthesia can be raised during the preoperative assessment.

His areas of expertise also include reanimation, which refers to the intensive care and resuscitation side of the specialty, and palliative care. Dr. Altun’s practice includes attention to the needs of patients receiving palliative care, with a focus on comfort and the management of symptoms in the context of serious illness. The specific approach in each case depends on the patient’s condition and is discussed with the patient, their family where appropriate, and the treating team.

How Dr. Altun works with international patients

Dr. Altun 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 MRI, CT, X-ray or ultrasound reports, 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 available options. For patients who are unable to travel initially, a video consultation is available so that the case can be reviewed and the anesthetic considerations discussed in advance. Any plan for anesthesia or supportive care is confirmed only after an in-person assessment, taking into account the patient’s overall health and the procedure that is being planned.