Prof. Dr. Oya Yönal

Prof. Dr. Oya Yönal is a gastroenterologist at Acibadem Fulya Hospital in İstanbul, where she works in the Gastroenterology unit. With more than 25 years in medicine, she cares for adults with conditions of the digestive system, including inflammatory bowel disease, liver, biliary tract and pancreatic diseases, malabsorption, and hemorrhoidal and anorectal disorders. Her subspecialty area is the treatment of hemorrhoids and anorectal diseases.

Dr. Yönal graduated from İstanbul University Faculty of Medicine in 2001 and completed her Internal Medicine training at İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine in 2006, having worked there as a research assistant from 2001 to 2006. She then trained in Gastroenterology at Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, where she was a research assistant and specialist between 2007 and 2010, completing her gastroenterology training in 2010. From 2011 she worked in the Gastroenterology department of Memorial Şişli Hospital, first as a specialist, from 2014 as an associate professor and from 2020 as a professor. She joined Acibadem Healthcare Services in 2020. She is a member of the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Association, ECCO (European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation), the Turkish Liver Research Association, the Turkish Liver Foundation and the Turkish Gastroenterology Association, where she serves as an İstanbul Branch Board Member. Her published work includes studies on inflammatory bowel disease and ulcerative colitis, as well as on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis.

Clinical focus

A central part of Dr. Yönal’s practice is inflammatory bowel disease, including the treatment of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Care for these conditions typically involves diagnosis, assessment of disease activity and planning of long-term medical management, adjusted to the individual patient’s course. She performs endoscopic procedures, including endoscopy, gastroscopy and esophagoscopy, which are used to examine the upper digestive tract and to support diagnosis.

Her practice also covers liver diseases, including hepatitis, as well as biliary tract diseases and pancreatic diseases. She evaluates patients with malabsorption and treats hemorrhoidal and anorectal disorders. The choice of investigations and treatment depends on the individual findings, and options are discussed with the patient after clinical assessment.

How Dr. Yönal works with international patients

Dr. Yönal 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 endoscopy and pathology results, laboratory findings, MRI, CT or ultrasound 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 possible options. Video consultations are available for international patients who wish to discuss their situation before traveling or as part of follow-up.