Prof. Dr. Necmettin Pamir

Prof. Dr. Necmettin Pamir is a neurosurgeon at Acibadem Altunizade Hospital in İstanbul, where he works within the Neurosurgery unit. His practice is focused on neurosurgery, with particular areas of expertise in stereotactic neurosurgery, functional neurosurgery and Gamma Knife radiosurgery. He has more than 56 years in medicine and has combined clinical work with academic teaching and research for much of his career.

Dr. Pamir graduated from İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine in 1976 and completed his specialty training in neurosurgery at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine between 1976 and 1981, after which he worked there as a specialist physician. In 1984–1985 he held a scholarship position at the Department of Neurosurgery of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and Zurich University. He became an Associate Professor in 1985 and moved to Marmara University Faculty of Medicine in 1986, where he chaired the Department of Neurosurgery from 1986 to 2007, was appointed Professor in 1991 and directed the Institute of Neurological Sciences from 1992 to 2006. In 1992–1993 he spent time at Pittsburgh, Virginia and George Washington universities in the United States. He joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services in 2005. He is a member of national and international societies, including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS), the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS), the International Gamma Knife Association and the European Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery Association. He was the first Turkish neurosurgeon elected president of the World Academy of Neurological Surgery.

Clinical focus

Dr. Pamir’s clinical work covers general neurosurgery together with stereotactic neurosurgery and functional neurosurgery, approaches that use image-guided targeting to reach defined structures in the brain. A further area of his practice is Gamma Knife radiosurgery, a non-invasive form of focused radiation treatment. His published work reflects these interests and includes papers on arteriovenous malformations treated with Gamma Knife, the combined use of embolization and Gamma Knife therapy in large AVMs, Gamma Knife in the treatment of tremor, distal middle cerebral artery and giant P2 aneurysms, tumors of the choroid plexus, meningioma biology, primary hypophysitis and other pituitary disorders, and arachnoid cysts of the Sylvian cistern presenting with hemorrhage.

Whether a given condition is suitable for surgery, radiosurgery or another approach depends on the individual case, and Dr. Pamir reviews each patient’s imaging and history before discussing possible options.

How Dr. Pamir works with international patients

Dr. Pamir 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, arranges appointments and organises 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 who are not yet able to travel, a video consultation with Dr. Pamir can be arranged as an initial step in the assessment.