Assoc. Prof. Serap Aktaş Yıldırım, MD

Assoc. Prof. Serap Aktaş Yıldırım, MD is an anesthesiology specialist at Acibadem Altunizade Hospital in İstanbul, where she works within the Anesthesiology & Reanimation unit. She provides anesthesiology care for patients undergoing medical and surgical procedures, working alongside the surgical and treating teams so that anesthesia is planned according to the type of procedure and the clinical condition of each patient. She has more than 23 years in medicine.

Dr. Yıldırım graduated from İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine in 2003. She completed her specialization at the Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation of İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine in 2008. She has been part of Acıbadem Healthcare Services since 2017, and she holds the academic title of associate professor.

Clinical focus

Dr. Yıldırım’s clinical work covers perioperative anesthesia care, which includes the assessment of patients before a procedure, the administration and monitoring of anesthesia during the procedure, and follow-up in the recovery period. She places emphasis on individualized anesthesia planning, in which the choice of anesthetic approach takes into account the patient’s medical history, current medications, existing conditions and the requirements of the planned intervention. This planning is carried out in coordination with the surgeon or treating physician.

Her areas of expertise also include critical care support and reanimation for patients who require close monitoring or organ support, as well as pain management in the perioperative setting and beyond. The aim of this work is to support safe anesthesia, to reduce discomfort around procedures and to identify and address risks at an early stage. Specific measures are decided on a case-by-case basis after clinical evaluation, and not every approach is suitable for every patient.

How Dr. Yıldırım works with international patients

Dr. Yıldırım 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, operative notes and discharge summaries, 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 anesthesiology care, this usually means a review of prior anesthesia experiences, allergies, medications and coexisting conditions, so that a plan can be made together with the treatment team responsible for the procedure. Video consultation is available for international patients who would like an initial discussion before travelling; whether a video consultation is appropriate depends on the individual situation, and an in-person assessment is generally required before any procedure requiring anesthesia.