Assoc. Prof. Muharrem Koçyiğit, MD

Assoc. Prof. Muharrem Koçyiğit, MD is an anesthesiologist at Acibadem Maslak Hospital in İstanbul, where he works within the Anesthesiology & Reanimation unit. His professional interests include anesthesiology, reanimation, regional anesthesia, pain therapy, intensive care, and cardiothoracic anesthesia. He has more than 28 years of experience in medicine and speaks Turkish and English.

Dr. Koçyiğit graduated from Ege University Faculty of Medicine in 1998 and completed his specialization in Anesthesiology and Reanimation at Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine in 2003. He worked at Özel İstanbul Medicine Hospital between 2004 and 2009 and joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services in 2009. He is a member of the European Society of Anaesthesiology, the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiologists, the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy, the Association of Minimally Invasive and Robotic Cardiovascular Surgery, the Turkish Anesthesiology and Reanimation Association, the Intensive Care Association, the Regional Anesthesia Association, and the Thoracic Cardiovascular Anesthesia and Intensive Care Association.

Clinical focus

Dr. Koçyiğit’s clinical work covers anesthesiology and reanimation, including anesthesia for surgery, regional anesthesia techniques, pain therapy, and the care of patients in the intensive care setting. A particular area of his practice is cardiothoracic anesthesia, which involves anesthetic management before, during and after heart and chest surgery, with close monitoring of the patient and coordination with the surgical team.

He has co-authored publications in this field, including papers on renal function and hemodiafiltration during ECMO support, carbon dioxide insufflation in cardiac surgery, cannulation in minimally invasive cardiac surgery, robotic mitral valve replacement for severe rheumatic mitral disease, anesthesia for coronary artery bypass surgery in a patient with deep brain stimulation, and cardiac surgery and anesthesia without blood transfusion in two Jehovah’s Witness patients. He has also published on hearing loss after spinal anesthesia, reflecting his interest in regional anesthesia. The anesthetic approach for each patient is decided individually, taking into account the planned procedure, the patient’s medical history and any existing conditions.

How Dr. Koçyiğit works with international patients

Dr. Koçyiğit consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for patients who speak other languages. 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 options. For patients preparing for surgery, this may include a discussion of the anesthetic plan and the period after the operation. Video consultation is available for international patients who wish to discuss their situation before traveling.