Memorial Şişli Hospital
Dr. Engin Cakar is a professor and rehabilitation specialist at Memorial Göztepe and Memorial Şişli Hospitals. He specializes in pain medicine, electrodiagnostic neurology, and stroke rehabilitation. Dr. Cakar chair’s the Brain Stimulation and Neurorestoration Working Group. He completed training in brain stimulation at Harvard Medical School.
The doctor specializes in neurological and orthopedic rehabilitation, focusing on musculoskeletal disorders and rheumatological diseases. Proficient in performing dry needling, trigger point injections, and intra-articular injections, the doctor has extensive experience in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Graduating from Ankara University Medical Faculty in 2005, the doctor has held positions in various hospitals, including Şişli Eftal EAH Clinic, Antakya State Hospital, Kütahya Evliya Çelebi Training and Research Hospital, and Yalova Aktif Hospital. Currently, the doctor is a rehabilitation specialist at Nobel Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Center.
Dr. Ibrahim Ziyal is a neurosurgeon at Memorial Göztepe Hospital in Istanbul (2025–present). He was Professor and Head of Neurosurgery at Marmara University (2012–2025). Earlier, he held faculty roles at Hacettepe University (2001–2012). He was the Founding Head of Neurosurgery at Abant İzzet Baysal University, Düzce (1999–2001). He also worked as a clinical researcher in brain tumors at George Washington University (1996–1998). He then focused on cerebrovascular diseases at the São Paulo Institute of Neurological Sciences (1998–1999).
Expertise: skull base tumors, pituitary surgery, and aneurysm/AVM/cavernoma surgery. Neurosurgery training: Şişli Etfal Hospital. MD: Trakya University. Memberships: Turkish Neurosurgical Society, Neuro-Oncology Association, AANS, CNS, WFNS, EANS.
Muscular Dystrophy treatments in Turkey include mesenchymal stem cell therapy, advanced physical rehabilitation, and specialized drug programs. JCI-accredited centers in Istanbul offer multidisciplinary care. They focus on muscle repair and functional improvement. Steroid therapies and orphan drugs are accessible through regulated named patient programs.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Choosing a clinic with high international volume is vital for rare conditions. Memorial Sisli serves patients from 167 countries. Their high case volume in genetics and neurosurgery ensures doctors see diverse MD variations yearly. This experience leads to more accurate prognostic modeling for long-term care.
Patient Consensus: Patients find comfort in the high standard of personalized attention. They often emphasize that having all specialists in one building simplifies their complex care routines.
Specialized Turkish clinics provide stem cell therapy for muscular dystrophy using adult regenerative cells. Centers in Istanbul and Izmir focus on improving gait and muscle strength. These procedures are managed by specialists in regenerative medicine within JCI-accredited facilities to ensure high safety standards.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While many seek stem cell therapy, the real value in Turkey lies in combining it with intensive rehabilitation. Centers like Nobel Medical specialize in physical therapy using thermal waters. Our data shows combining regenerative cell injections with professional neurological rehabilitation often leads to more visible functional gains.
Patient Consensus: Patients note it is vital to ask for the exact cell type used. They recommend checking if the clinic provides specific proof of benefit for muscular dystrophy rather than general stem cell success stories.
Approved gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy is not a standard treatment in Turkey. Facilities like Memorial Şişli Hospital provide advanced genetic diagnostics. Patients often satisfy eligibility through clinical trials or specialized importation pathways. Specialized clinics focus on supportive care and physical therapy.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Turkish clinics focus heavily on diagnostic precision before recommending any advanced therapies. Data shows hospitals like Memorial Şişli serve patients from 167 countries. This volume allows them to provide rapid genetic screening. These results are essential for determining eligibility for international gene therapy programs.
Patient Consensus: Parents find that Turkish centers excel in providing high-quality supportive care and 5-star rehabilitation. Many families emphasize the importance of having mutation reports and cardiac status ready before seeking specialist advice.
Turkey hosts specialized doctors and clinics for neuromuscular diseases at JCI-accredited centers in Istanbul and Ankara. Patients access multidisciplinary teams including neurologists, geneticists, and rehabilitation experts. Facilities like Memorial Sisli Hospital and Memorial Goztepe Hospital provide advanced diagnostic tools and robotic rehabilitation systems.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While many private clinics offer neurology, patient data highlights that university-affiliated hospitals specialize most deeply in rare genetic muscular disorders. Nobel Medical, Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Center serves 1,500 patients annually using unique thermal water and mud therapies. This physical therapy approach is highly effective for maintaining muscle function alongside traditional neurology care.
Patient Consensus: Patients note it is vital to find a doctor who manages rare disorders specifically rather than general neurology. Many emphasize that having a coordinator to organize testing and follow-up is essential for international visits.
Muscular dystrophy treatment in Turkey typically requires an in-country stay of 15 to 28 days for intensive protocols. Advanced therapy cycles usually involve 1 to 2 days of clinical monitoring. Specialized rehabilitation and physical therapy follow for 16 to 26 days to maximize results.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While many believe treatment is a single event, our data shows a shift toward long-term symptom management. High-volume centers like Liv Hospital Ulus see patients from 180 countries who return for periodic functional assessments. Combining intensive therapy with thermal water treatments at specialized centers can improve the patient experience during the 3-week stay.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that the medical visit is only the start, as aftercare and ongoing mobility support are vital for years. Those traveling to specialized rehabilitation centers appreciate the focused, daily physical therapy sessions that aren't always available at home.