Vildan Alev Sönmez, MD

Vildan Alev Sönmez, MD is an anesthesiology specialist at Acibadem Bursa Hospital in Bursa, where she works in the Anesthesiology & Reanimation unit. Her areas of expertise are anesthesiology, reanimation, and clinical toxicology. She has been in medicine for more than 32 years, and her clinical work centers on supporting patients before, during, and after procedures that require anesthesia.

Dr. Sönmez graduated from Ondokuzmayıs University Faculty of Medicine in 1994. From 1994 to 2003 she worked at Kastamonu Taşköprü Central Health Center. She completed her specialization at Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation in 2008 and then practiced at Muş Devlet Hospital from 2008 to 2010. In 2010 she joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services. She is a member of the Clinical Toxicology Association, the Turkish Anesthesiology and Reanimation Association, and the Bursa Medical Chamber.

Clinical focus

The first of Dr. Sönmez’s areas of expertise is anesthesiology. In general terms, this field is concerned with the assessment of a patient before anesthesia, the administration and monitoring of anesthesia during a procedure, and the follow-up of the patient in the recovery period. The choice of anesthetic approach depends on the patient’s overall health, the type of procedure planned, and the findings of the pre-anesthetic evaluation, and it is discussed with the patient and the treating team in advance.

Her second area of expertise is reanimation, which relates to the support of vital functions in patients whose condition is critical or unstable. Her third area is clinical toxicology, the field concerned with the assessment and management of poisoning and of harmful effects of medicines, chemicals, and other substances. Her membership in the Clinical Toxicology Association reflects this interest. Which of these services is relevant to a given patient, and how they are applied, is determined individually and in coordination with the other physicians involved in the patient’s care.

How Dr. Sönmez works with international patients

Dr. Sönmez speaks 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 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 options. For patients who are not yet able to travel, a video consultation with Dr. Sönmez can be arranged, so that the pre-anesthetic assessment and any questions about the planned procedure can be addressed in advance.