Pediatric Neurosurgery
Profession: Pediatric Neurosurgery
Spoken Languages: Turkish, English, German
Translation: Available in 20+ languages
Professor Memet Özek is an expert in pediatric neurosurgery, with more than 40 years of clinical experience and patients from all over the world. Trained as a pediatric neurosurgeon in the USA, he is currently one of the best in Turkey and the world for the treatment of complicated brain disorders in children. His special areas of interest are brain tumors, including deep-seated tumors of the brainstem, thalamus, and hypothalamus; epilepsy surgery; spasticity surgery; congenital malformations, such as hydrocephalus. He is an active member of national and international professional organizations, author and co-author of 4 book editions, 30 book chapters, 117 papers in English, and numerous presentations and lectures in international meetings. President of the European Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery (ESPN) for 2008-2010.
Intraventricular endoscopic procedures
Spasticity surgery
Book chapters
Medical Papers
Acıbadem Neurosurgery Department is one of the internationally pioneering leaders in treatment of neurological disorders in the world. We provide comprehensive, holistic, multidisciplinary, and collaborative services for newborns, infants, children, and their families. We aspire to make a difference in the lives of children by offering outstanding and compassionate care. Today, Acıbadem offers extensive pediatric neurosurgery services to children from curing epilepsy to easing cerebral palsy, treating brain tumors to addressing congenital malformations and the list goes on.
Treatment of all pediatric neurological disorders demands a specialized team. In Acıbadem, the treatment of children is planned, carried out, and supervised by a multidisciplinary team. Patients are jointly assessed by all members of the team who participate in the councils in Acıbadem. The council members evaluate the patients and they come up with a treatment schedule. Acıbadem Pediatric Neurosurgery department consists of a pediatric neurosurgeon, physiotherapist, movement analysis supervisor, pediatric surgeon, orthopedist, pediatric neurologist, pediatric oncologist, radiation oncologist, pediatric anesthesiologist, neuroradiologist, and neurosurgery nurse. Each Acıbadem Pediatric Neurosurgery department member has its own area of focus and knowledge. The experience our specialists possess in the pediatric neurosurgery field is exceptionally unmatched. These specialists attend council and treatment according to the type of neurological disorder.
We are from Iraq. My son's birth weight was just 1,7 kilograms. He was transferred immediately to the NICU in a nearby hospital where he stayed for almost 3 months. While recharging sounded like a good step, Adil’s struggles unfortunately weren’t yet over. When he was 12 months old, we noticed issues like crawling and not responding to sounds and visuals. MRI confirmed he had cerebral palsy. Physicians began physical therapy to help his muscles improve. In the beginning, the treatments seemed beneficial. However, Adil struggled more and more with spasticity and painful spasms. During this time, I applied to different doctors for possible treatment alternatives. I also visited Acıbadem Healthcare Group's Erbil Information Office. Adil's medical reports were sent to Professor Memet Özek, Acıbadem University Department of Neurosurgery. Thus, our treatment journey started at Acıbadem Hospital. The professor explained the treatment plan and said they would perform selective dorsal rhizotomy, which involves cutting a portion of the dorsal roots of spinal nerves as they relieve the spinal column and dwindle high muscle tones. In addition, the surgery improves reception by clearing the communication lines between the body’s spinal cord nerves and muscles, which helps subside muscle tone and stiffness. After the surgery, the treatment continues with intensive physical rehabilitation. The following day, Adil's SDR surgery was successfully performed. After the procedure, my son continued treatment with physical rehabilitation, a crucial part of the SDR treatment. After a month of physical therapy, my son was able to sit up and maintain his balance better. His legs were much more relieved, and felt almost no pain. What’s more, the surgery improved his fine motor skills, speech, and even the volume of his voice. Today, Adil is 5, and he can walk independently with his crutches. Soon, he'll gain the ability to walk without any support or crutches. He is a more confident, social, and articulate boy. He has the opportunity of a better life. I am happy that everything worked out just fine. I can’t thank Acıbadem Hospital and Professor Memet Özek enough.