Prof. Murat Saruç, MD

Prof. Murat Saruç, MD is a gastroenterologist at Acibadem Bakirkoy Hospital in İstanbul, where he works in the Gastroenterology unit with a subspecialty focus on the treatment of pancreas, liver and biliary tract diseases. He has more than 41 years in medicine. His clinical work covers inflammatory bowel disease, endoscopy, obesity, and disorders of the pancreas, liver and bile ducts.

Dr. Saruç graduated from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine in 1993. He trained in Internal Medicine at Celal Bayar University Faculty of Medicine, completing that training in 1998, and then completed Gastroenterology training at the same faculty in 2001. He remained at Celal Bayar University, where he served as Department Chair of the Department of Gastroenterology from 2003 to 2005 and as Associate Professor from 2004 to 2005. Between 2002 and 2003 he was a Research Fellow at the University of Nebraska Eppley Cancer Center. In 2005 he joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services. At Acıbadem University Faculty of Medicine he was Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine from 2009 to 2010 and became Professor in 2010. He is a member of the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Association, the Liver Research Association and the Turkish Gastroenterology Association. His published research includes work on pancreatic cancer and glucose metabolism, hemolysis-induced acute pancreatitis, colonic carcinogenesis, azathioprine-induced liver injury, and intragastric balloon treatment of obesity.

Clinical focus

A substantial part of Dr. Saruç’s practice concerns inflammatory bowel disease, including the assessment and treatment of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. These are long-term conditions, and treatment planning generally depends on the extent and activity of the disease, previous therapies and the individual patient’s history. Endoscopy is part of his diagnostic and follow-up work.

He also evaluates and treats liver diseases, including fatty liver disease and liver failure, as well as pancreatic diseases and biliary tract diseases, in line with his subspecialty in the treatment of pancreas, liver and biliary tract diseases. In addition, he sees patients with obesity, an area in which he has also published research. The choice of any investigation or treatment is made after clinical assessment and a review of the patient’s records, and options are discussed with the patient on an individual basis.

How Dr. Saruç works with international patients

Dr. Saruç consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for patients who speak other languages. Before a visit, the international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports and imaging, such as MRI, CT, X-ray or ultrasound reports, laboratory and pathology results, endoscopy reports, 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. Video consultation is available for international patients who would like an initial assessment or a review of their records before deciding whether to travel.