Vafi Atalay

Dr. Atalay's expertise extends to endoscopy, gastroscopy, and colonoscopy. His contributions to medical literature are significant, with 31 articles published in national and international journals. His dedication to his field is also evident in his active participation in professional associations.

The tube ileostomy technique developed by Atalay is based on inserting a tube into the intestine instead of bringing the bowel out through the abdominal wall. This tube remains in place for approximately two weeks and functions similarly to a conventional ostomy by allowing stool to exit through the abdominal wall with comparable effectiveness.

The tube can be removed under outpatient conditions without the need for additional surgery. Its greatest advantage is that it eliminates the need for a separate ostomy-closure operation. Because it is used for a short period, it also helps patients avoid many of the long-term challenges associated with living with a conventional ostomy. From a cost-effectiveness perspective, it offers advantages over traditional ostomies that require a bag and remain in place for extended periods.

Atalay improved the previously unsuccessful tube ileostomy attempts reported in the literature and made the method safe for clinical use. This was achieved by specifying the tube material and incorporating an additional intestinal support mechanism. The technique was introduced into the medical literature by Vafi Atalay (Wafi Ataallah).

Research on this method has been published twice (2020 and 2021) in Colorectal Disease, one of the most respected journals in general surgery. A comparative study with conventional ostomy was also published in Cureus in 2022. Currently, a multicenter collaborative study on the tube ileostomy method is ongoing with New York University.

Awards

Best Research Award, 5th Surgical Research Congress (2009)

Aysun Ahmet Küçükel Medical Award – Best Scientific Research Award (2015)

First Prize for Oral Presentation, 20th National Surgical Congress Abstract Competition (2016)

Second Prize for Poster Presentation, 17th National Congress of Colon and Rectal Surgery Abstract Competition (2019)

Gold Medal Award, 5th Istanbul International Invention Fair (2020)

Membership

• Member of TSS
• Member of the Palestinian Medical Association
• Member of IOA

Education

• Bachelor of Medicine from Gazi University, Turkey (2004)
• Specialization in General Surgery from Marmara University General Surgery Division