Prof. Neslihan Kurtulmuş, MD

Prof. Neslihan Kurtulmuş, MD is an endocrinology specialist in the Endocrinology & Metabolism unit at Acibadem Maslak Hospital in İstanbul. Her subspecialty areas are the treatment of pituitary diseases and thyroid diseases and their treatment. Alongside these, her clinical work covers a range of hormone-related conditions involving the adrenal glands and the endocrine pancreas.

Dr. Kurtulmuş completed her secondary education at Turan Emeksiz High School in 1985 and graduated from İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine in 1991. She completed her Internal Medicine training at İstanbul Training and Research Hospital in 1996, followed by training in Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine in 2002. She was appointed Associate Professor (Doç. Dr.) in 2007. From 1997 to 2009 she worked at Vakıf Gureba Training and Research Hospital, and from 2003 to 2009 she also practiced at Amerikan Hospital. She has been part of Acıbadem Healthcare Services since 2009. She is a member of Turkish Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases and of the İstanbul Medical Chamber.

Clinical focus

A central part of Dr. Kurtulmuş’s practice is the evaluation and management of pituitary disorders. These include acromegaly, in which excess growth hormone is produced, Cushing syndrome, which is linked to prolonged exposure to elevated cortisol, and diabetes insipidus, a condition affecting the body’s regulation of water balance. Her work in this area involves interpreting hormone test results and imaging findings and discussing treatment options with each patient according to the individual situation.

Thyroid disease is the second main pillar of her practice. She sees patients with a broad range of thyroid disorders, including Graves’ disease, an autoimmune cause of an overactive thyroid, and thyroid cancer, where endocrine follow-up forms part of longer-term care. Dr. Kurtulmuş also evaluates and treats adrenal conditions such as Addison’s disease and adrenal cancer, as well as endocrine pancreatic tumors, which are hormone-producing tumors arising from the pancreas. In all of these areas, treatment planning is based on clinical findings, laboratory results and existing imaging, and is reviewed with the patient before any decision is made.

How Dr. Kurtulmuş works with international patients

Dr. Kurtulmuş 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 medical reports and imaging, arranges appointments and organizes 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, video consultations are available so that the case can be reviewed and next steps discussed before any decision about in-person care.