Hello, I am Assoc. Prof. Dr. Oğuz Karaeminoğulları. I am an orthopaedics and traumatology specialist. I graduated from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine in 1991. Later, I specialized as an orthopaedics and traumatology specialist. I have been working in the field of spinal surgery for the last 20 years. Also, for the last 7-8 years, I have been carrying out endoscopic operations, which are closed herniated disc surgeries, which consist to be 90% of my work.
The hospital which I work in has the latest technology.
I believe that this is rather very important in the medical field. Besides the experience and skill of the doctor, I believe that the hospital conditions are very important. As I am working in that kind of hospital, I want my patients to benefit from these latest technologies. Nowadays I believe that it is important for doctors to specialize in a field to give the best treatment. In the past, general surgeons and orthopaedic surgeons used to carry out every operation. Today we see that there are specific and specialized fields. Nowadays the fields are so specific that, there are specialists in herniated disc operations within the field of spinal surgeons. Moreover, the orthopaedic surgeons who carry the classical open operations and surgeons who specialize in endoscopic surgery have been divided. What does this provide? You treat more patients and carry out the same operation many times and gain a lot of experience. What does this provide for the patient? This increases the possibility of patients consulting a doctor with a lot of medical and surgical experience. Today, the once-feared medical complications surrounding herniated disc surgery has now become an easy operation, thanks to the developing technology. Our main goal as doctors is to carry out the operation with the least amount of harm. To elaborate, our main goal is to reduce the fears of the patients who think they will experience a stroke or stay permanently disabled, and protect them from complications induced from the surgery. How do we do that? As doctors are also scientists, they have started to use technology. I always give this example. Back in the day, in the operations where deep cuts were needed, nowadays the principal of not harming the healthy and intact tissue by only locating and operating on the problem is in mind. We call this minimally invasive surgery and it is applied frequently in the field of orthopaedic surgery, and more specifically in herniated disc surgery. What should the patients have in mind when choosing a doctor? Firstly, the patients should evaluate the experience the doctor has concerning the illness. They should know if the doctor is practicing contemporary treatment. Also, they should check the conditions of the hospital in which the doctor is working. When you have a herniated disc, you should choose a doctor who specializes in that field and implements contemporary treatments. Patients who will undergo surgery feel relieved and confident when they know that the hospital that they will be treated in meets the required level of infrastructure. Herniated disc surgery actually has its roots in the past. In the 1920s the first operations were conducted and the classical open surgery method was used. However, after some complications after the operations were observed, microscopical surgery methods were implemented to reduce the damage inflicted on healthy and soft tissue. Doctors developed endoscopic surgery methods. Endoscopic surgery is known as full closed hernia surgery. Endoscopic surgery, though it’s a new form of treatment, is implemented frequently in The United States, Germany and the far east. I have travelled to these countries and received education, and have been applying these techniques for 8 years. I mostly use these techniques for operations. This has given me the chance to gain a lot of experience. As I am using the latest technological equipment, it has helped the patients get back to their normal lives quickly without complications, and helped me provide a predictable treatment. Endoscopic herniated disc surgery is developing rapidly around the world. 4 years ago, the International Society of Endoscopic Spine Surgery was founded in China. I have attended as the Turkish delegate and I am one of the founders of the society. This, of course, helps to have international recognition. This helps us in being preferable to our Turkish patients living abroad, patients living in the middle-east, Germany, France and patients living in Russian speaking countries. It is very convenient and comfortable for our patients to take a flight, undergo the operation and head back to their countries the following day. One of the greatest advantages of this treatment is that the patients can return to their normal routine rather quickly, generally right after the operation. Herniated disc complications, in reality, is a frightening complication. Not just the complication, but the surgery of it is also frightening. But I believe it is important to state this; when this complication occurs, if you don’t get the right treatment from the right doctor, the problems that it will lead to will be far greater. In light of this information, if you find the right doctor and apply the right treatment, herniated disc complications are not to be feared of. We have had a lot of experience in endoscopic herniated disc surgery and currently apply the latest techniques from around the world. Also, it is possible to treat 90% of herniated disc complications with this technique. It is possible for the patients to return to their everyday lives quickly. If you would like to undergo surgery with these techniques that we have used for many patients, we can happily help. I wish you days with health.