General Surgery Specialist

Prof. Dr. Vafi Atalay

Prof. Dr. Vafi Atalay is a General Surgery Specialist who stands out in the field of surgery with prestigious awards such as the gold medal award at the International Invention Fair and the International Mehmet Akif Ersoy Science and Art Award.

About

Vafi Atalay was born in Gaza in 1979. He graduated with honors from the Palestine High School, which was attended by specially gifted students, and earned a state scholarship and the right to study abroad. Choosing Türkiye for higher education, Atalay enrolled in Gazi University Faculty of Medicine in 1998. After completing his undergraduate studies in 2004, he began his general surgery residency at Marmara University and completed his specialist training in 2009. He worked as the chief of the surgical clinic in Gaza in 2010-2011. He began his academic career at Marmara University in 2011, becoming an associate professor in 2016 and a professor in 2021. He also works at Istanbul Teknopark. Married with three children, Atalay speaks Arabic, Turkish and English. He is a member of professional organizations and publication boards, has received various awards for his academic work and has published more than 50 articles. He also serves as a referee and editorial board member in many journals.

Treatments

Pouchless Intestinal Surgery

Colon cancer is a common type of cancer and ostomy is common in its treatment. 20,000 patients in our country and 500,000 in Europe encounter this condition annually. Ostomy reduces the quality of life of patients, is costly and negatively affects social life. The “tube ileostomy” technique developed by Vafi Atalay involves placing a tube instead of taking the intestine out; this tube remains for 2 weeks and is removed in the outpatient clinic, thus not requiring a second surgery. This method is less costly and less problematic than classic ostomy. Atalay increased success by defining the material of the tube and the intestinal suspension with this technique. These studies were published in the Journal of Colorectal Diseases in 2020 and 2021, and the comparison study was published in the Journal of Cureus in 2022. Multi-center studies are currently ongoing with New York University.

Gas and Fecal Incontinence Treatment

Fecal incontinence is a health problem that negatively affects the quality of life and is not often mentioned due to sociocultural reasons, so its incidence may be higher than expected. It can occur due to surgeries, old age and neurological diseases. The "biofeedback" device developed by Dr. Vafi Atalay helps the treatment by strengthening the patient's anal muscles with visual feedback. With this method, Atalay won the "Doktorclub Awards Innovative Doctor of the Year (2021)" and the gold medal at the 5th Istanbul International Invention Fair (2020).

Non-surgical Fistula Treatment

Perianal fistula is defined as an abnormal tunnel extending from the last part of the large intestine to the skin around the anus and presents with persistent inflammation, abscess and discharge. Traditional treatment methods include removing the fistula, leaving an open wound or using setons. However, when some fistulas are caused by chronic diseases, surgical treatment may not be sufficient. Dr. Vafi Atalay has suggested applying silver nitrate solution into the fistula for such cases. This method has been successful in hundreds of patients and was published in the Disease Colon And Rectum Journal in 2014. It has also been included in basic surgical books.

How to Use an Anal Biofeedback Device?

Robotic Surgery

Presentation of Tube Ileostomy During My Visit to Uzbekistan

Solution for Gas and Stool Incontinence

Interview on the Algerian National Channel about our innovations in gastrointestinal surgery

Information About Colon Cancer from Dr. Vafi Atalay

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