Memorial Şişli Hospital
Dr. Baris Topcular is a neurologist at Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital. He focuses on dementia, movement disorders, and multiple sclerosis. He trained at the University of Basel in Switzerland. He also works in the molecular neuroimaging department for PET scans. Dr. Topcular treats patients at a JCI-accredited smart hospital in Turkey.
Dr. Yasef Özsarfati is a neurologist at Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital. He has over 40 years of expertise in neurology. He spent a year in the United States researching dementia and behavioral neurology. Dr. Özsarfati earned his professorship at Istanbul University.
With over 25 years of clinical and academic experience, the doctor is a highly accomplished specialist in Orthopedics and Traumatology. Clinical expertise encompasses hand surgery, foot and ankle surgery, arthroplasty, orthopedic oncology, and trauma surgery. The doctor has held significant positions at various training and research hospitals, including serving as a founding specialist at the Hand Surgery Clinic of Baltalimanı Bone Diseases Training and Research Hospital.
The doctor has pursued international professional development, including an observership at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago. After being appointed Associate Professor in 2018, the doctor attained the rank of Professor in 2024 and currently practices as a specialist in Orthopedics and Traumatology.
Dr. Ela Simay Zengin is a neurologist at the JCI-accredited Medicalpoint International Hospital in İzmir. She maintains memberships in the American Academy of Neurology and the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. Dr. Zengin treats neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.
Surgery is not mandatory for most cases of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome in Turkey. Specialists typically start with a 3 to 6-month conservative program for neurogenic cases. Surgery is reserved for vascular complications and progressive nerve damage. It is also for persistent symptoms that do not respond to physical therapy.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Turkish university hospitals often provide a multidisciplinary advantage for this condition. Many centres focus only on surgery. However, hospitals like Atlas University Hospital achieve a 95% success rate with physiotherapy alone. Patients should look for neurologists who specialise in botulinum toxin applications. Examples include Dr Baris Topcular and Dr Ulvi Samadzade. These injections can often delay or entirely replace the need for invasive rib resection surgery.
Patient Consensus: Scapular strengthening and thoracic spine mobility exercises work best when progressed slowly over several months. This is what patients in Turkey report. Many emphasise using pillows for arm support during daily tasks. This reduces shoulder load. They also avoid aggressive stretching that can flare symptoms.
Turkey offers comprehensive thoracic outlet syndrome treatment including specialised physiotherapy, interventional injections, and surgical decompression. Multidisciplinary teams at JCI-accredited centres like Memorial Bahçelievler Hospital use targeted rehab and rib resection to relieve neurovascular pressure. Patients access these treatments within 7 to 14 days of diagnosis.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Turkish university hospitals provide a distinct advantage for complex cases by combining neuroimaging with robotic rehabilitation. Centres like Medipol Mega University Hospital serve over 1,000,000 patients annually. They often integrate Lokomat robotic systems into post-surgical recovery. This technology helps patients regain shoulder mobility faster than traditional manual therapy alone.
Patient Consensus: Patients in Turkey highlight that recovery usually requires a multimodal approach. This approach combines daily nerve glides with manual trigger point release. Success often follows a gradual plan. This plan includes dry needling and botox alongside consistent posture correction. It is not a single quick fix.
Specialists in Turkey use transaxillary first rib resection and supraclavicular scalenectomy for thoracic outlet decompression. These procedures relieve pressure on the brachial plexus or subclavian vessels. Surgeons often use infraclavicular approaches for venous cases. Most JCI-accredited centres in Istanbul and Ankara provide these treatments.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Turkish university hospitals like Biruni or Medipol Mega often use a multidisciplinary approach for complex cases. These large centres serve over 1,000,000 patients annually. They have specialised departments for interventional neuroradiology and cardiovascular surgery. As a result, neurogenic and vascular symptoms are treated by specialists. These specialists handle thousands of high-volume cases every year.
Patient Consensus: Patients in Turkey often receive a tailored plan that combines rib resection with scalenectomy for full decompression. They note it is important to confirm if a cervical rib needs removal. If it does, this should be done during the same procedure.
Post-treatment rehabilitation in Turkey involves a structured three-phase protocol focusing on neurovascular decompression and functional recovery. Turkish specialists at JCI-accredited centres like Memorial Bahçelievler Hospital use physiotherapy. It has a 95% success rate. This intensive process combines manual therapy, nerve gliding, and progressive scapular stabilisation.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Turkish university hospitals offer a distinct advantage for complex cases by integrating robotic systems like Lokomat into neuro-rehabilitation. Data from Medicalpoint International shows that robotic assistance speeds recovery. When combined with traditional physiotherapy, it helps patients rebuild functional capacity faster. This approach also minimises the risk of nerve irritation during the critical 8-week intermediate phase.
Patient Consensus: Patients emphasise that recovery is a slow process. It requires consistent posture control and shoulder support during travel. Success depends on treating the surgery as the start of rehabilitation rather than the end of treatment.
Turkish hospitals evaluate Thoracic Outlet Syndrome using high-resolution 3 Tesla MRI and 512-slice CT scanners. These systems perform dynamic imaging with provocative manoeuvres to detect nerve or vessel pinching. Clinics also use Doppler ultrasound and electromyography to confirm vascular or neural compression.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Data from top Istanbul clinics shows a shift towards AI-integrated diagnostics. Systems like the 512-slice CT at Memorial Göztepe provide clearer vascular mapping than standard scanners. This precision is vital for Australian patients seeking definitive surgical planning for rare vascular cases.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that dynamic ultrasound with arm raising often reveals compression missed by standard scans. Many found diagnostic scalene blocks the most persuasive evidence for confirming neurogenic symptoms in Turkey.
Turkish hospitals treat Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. They use multidisciplinary teams made up of cardiovascular surgeons, neurosurgeons, and physical therapists. Leading JCI-accredited centres like Memorial Şişli and Medipol Mega use 3T MRI and Doppler ultrasound. This helps them map neurovascular compression. These facilities provide both conservative management and surgical decompression for complex cases.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Memorial Healthcare Group serves 1.6 million patients annually across multiple specialised branches. Data shows Memorial Antalya follows strict NCCN and ESMO international protocols for complex cases. For Australians, Memorial Ankara is a standout choice. It coordinates language assistance and transfers, while performing over 1,000 major cardiac interventions yearly.
Patient Consensus: Patients recommend prioritising large tertiary private hospitals like Acıbadem or Memorial for complex surgeries. They note that having an international patient coordinator and interpreter support helps. This makes navigating Turkish healthcare significantly easier.