Prof. Şafak Kızıltaş, MD

Prof. Şafak Kızıltaş, MD is a gastroenterologist at Acibadem Kozyatagi Hospital in İstanbul, where he works in the Gastroenterology unit. He has more than 41 years in medicine, and his clinical work centers on inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, as well as diseases of the liver, pancreas, biliary tract and small intestine, and diagnostic endoscopy.

Dr. Kızıltaş graduated from İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine in 1985 and completed his Internal Medicine training at the same faculty in 1990. He then trained in Gastroenterology at Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, completing this in 1995. He worked at the Gastroenterology Clinic of Kartal State Hospital from 1995 to 2004 and at the Department of Gastroenterology of Göztepe Training and Research Hospital from 2004 to 2015, where he became Associate Professor Doctor in 2010. From 2015 to 2017 he was at the Department of Gastroenterology of Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, and in 2017 he joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services. He is a member of the Turkish Association of Gastroenterology, the Turkish Association of Endoscopy, the Turkish Association of Internal Medicine, the Turkish Association Study of Liver Disease, ECCO and EASL, among other organizations, and has served on the editorial boards of the Türkiye Klinikleri Gastroenterohepatology Journal and the Güncel Tıp Journal. His published work includes studies on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, Helicobacter pylori eradication, celiac disease and mushroom poisoning.

Clinical focus

A central part of Dr. Kızıltaş’s practice is the assessment and ongoing care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. He also evaluates and treats reflux and gastritis, small intestine diseases and food poisoning. His work in hepatology and pancreatobiliary medicine covers liver diseases, pancreatic diseases and biliary tract diseases.

Endoscopic examination is an important part of his diagnostic approach. Dr. Kızıltaş performs endoscopy and colonoscopy as well as esophagoscopy, which may be used to investigate symptoms, obtain tissue samples or monitor known conditions. The choice of procedure and any treatment plan depend on the individual patient’s history, findings and overall health, and are discussed with the patient after assessment.

How Dr. Kızıltaş works with international patients

Dr. Kızıltaş 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 available options. Video consultation is available for international patients who wish to discuss their case before deciding whether to travel.